Telepresence Adoption Contines to Grow in the Legal Profession

Posted by KBZ Blogging Team

Previously on the KBZ blog, we have touched on the use of telepresence in courtroom situations, but the topic is attracting more attention as the role of video communications in a legal setting continues to expand. Not only is telepresence helping courts to gain access to witnesses without exposing them to the hardship of travel or the risk of harm, but the technology is also starting to reshape the practices of the legal profession itself.

Global competition for elite attorneys has forced many law firms to get creative in attracting and retaining top legal talent. Chief amongst the expectations of lawyers being courted by world class firms is the ability to take advantage of flexible hours in order to achieve a better work-life balance. The reduction in travel time introduced by the adoption of a telepresence solution can go a long way towards achieving this particular perk, especially in the legal professions where consultations have traditionally required extensive time out of the office.

Video conferencing also allows law firms to improve and facilitate teamwork between globally dispersed offices. With the ability to call upon the expertise of professionals located half a world away, telepresence introduces not just improved access to important institutional resources, but it also removes the requirement for each office to hire and maintain its own staff of redundant experts. This can introduce significant financial efficiencies to the bottom line.

Minter Ellison (@MintersTMT), a law firm with a presence in Australia, Asia, and the U.K., recently adopted a Cisco TelePresence system in order to experience each of the benefits outlined above. Not only has the company been able to make use of video conferencing technology to help mobilize the entire potential of its globalized workforce (totaling almost 1,300 legal employees), but the firm was also able to see the potential disaster mitigation effect available through telepresence during a test run of a similar system earlier this year. Flooding in Queensland, Australia made it impossible for many of the company?s team members to make it into their respective offices, and the resulting telework situation gave Minter Ellison crucial insight into how video conferencing could potentially fit into its operations.

In-person communications is a critical aspect of legal teamwork. Telepresence technology offers the chance for law firms to achieve the same level of collaboration without the added expense and time sink of travel. In an industry where even the slightest advantage can mean the difference between success and failure, video conferencing is capable of providing the margin required to field the most effective legal team.

Benjamin Hunting
KBZ Blogging Team

Source: http://blog.kbz.com/2011/08/telepresence-adoption-contines-to-grow-in-the-legal-profession/

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