A network-based system and method processes and analyzes email messages that have been communicated by parties involved in a legal proceeding. The email messages (or other electronic files) of the parties are delivered to a plurality of server units: metadata of the email messages (such as conversational thread information, directory path information, and other properties information) are directed a first server unit, contents of the email messages are directed to a second server unit, and read-only copies of the email messages are provided in a third server unit. If the email messages (or other electronic files) contain duplicate information, the duplicative email message is linked to an email message that has already been delivered to the server units. Once in the server units, users (such as legal professionals) at terminals on a network communicatively coupled to the server units can formulate and direct queries to the server unit(s) to review copies of the email messages (or other electronic files) that are responsive to the queries.