The legal industry is taking the coronavirus pandemic seriously by offering remote work situations to keep lawyers and clients alike safer from the spread of infection.
While there are no set dates for returning to in-office work, many firms are anticipating that a remote work policy may linger into 2021 and beyond.
Although some firms are concerned about retaining customers and training new associates in a largely virtual environment, others are embracing the enhanced productivity that seems to come along with remote work.
One thing is certain, however. To foster collaboration and to keep in touch with clients on crucial matters, lawyers must have access to, and understanding of, video conferencing technologies and tools.
Through video conferencing, law firms can recreate the face-to-face service environment while keeping both staff and clients safer.
Amplifying your law firm’s productivity and encouraging client retention is as easy as finding — and correctly using — the correct video conferencing solution.
While most video conferencing tools are relatively intuitive, there are some simple, but often overlooked guidelines, to help your firm conduct virtual business confidently, professionally, and safely:
For any legal firm, the top priority when conducting any kind of meeting or correspondence is data security and compliance.
While this can begin with a firm’s written security policy, security measures should include end-to-end data encryption and other security features aimed at protecting data transferred during video conferencing from cyberattack or loss.
Creating a virtual private network (VPN) can help connect geographically scattered staff and clients while providing advanced security through encryption, anonymity, and additional privacy and security fail safes.
Working from home can be convenient, but it can also provide a host of distractions — from the family dog running through your office to the kids practicing their music for their upcoming band performance.
When you are conducting business through video conferencing, ensure that your environment is clean and quiet and anyone at home with you understands that you are not to be disturbed during working hours — or at least for the duration of your video call.
Although video conferencing is an easy-to-use, intuitive technology, for some, it can be an uncomfortable experience. Train your legal staff on good video conferencing etiquette by holding “practice” meetings to teach them how to:
Navigating these and other issues in advance of a call with clients or another legal team can help your staff be more confident and professional.
Even though it might be tempting to hop on a video call to interact with colleagues and clients as needs arise, a video call can require much more focus than in-person interaction, leading to exhaustion.
Instead, save video conferencing for mission-critical tasks and relegate more informal communication to email, phone calls, or even secure messaging applications.
Like other businesses, law firms are feeling the pressure to keep employees and clients safer by employing social distancing rules and letting some — or all — staff members work remotely.
But, practicing law means having to connect with colleagues, other legal teams, and clients on a personal basis to share research, get information, and answer questions.
At Edwards Business Systems, (EBS) our team of managed services professionals can handle every aspect of your connectivity — from interactive whiteboards for crisp, clear video imaging to network services that help your firm protect sensitive data.
Our industry experts can help assess your needs and challenges and create a custom-tailored communication solution that can achieve your business goals, keep communication flowing among team members and clients, and keep proprietary and other data in compliance with regulatory requirements.
Help your legal staff stay safe — and connected. Contact an EBS representative and explore our wide selection of technology tools to create the best — and most secure — video conferencing solution for your firm.