The tools of the law firm trade haven’t changed much in the last few decades. Fountain pens,  Saratoga pencils, legal binders and blocks of yellow notepads were once all a lawyer needed to get down to work. 

But the times they are a’changing. Customers now expect lightning-fast response times, remote availability and the option to communicate over new digital channels. The Covid-19 pandemic has proven once and for all that face-to-face meetings are nice-to-have, but not a must. With all that’s going on, legal professionals across the world are reevaluating what they consider to be the standard tools they need to have to go about their business.

The reality is that legal firms that want to thrive and grow, are looking to the latest remote collaboration technologies to help them keep their customers satisfied, and their employees safe. Those that put off adapting to the new reality will quickly find themselves left behind, like artifacts from a long forgotten era.

The Tech You Need to Succeed Remotely

Every employee in your law firm needs at least a basic home setup. High quality laptops, monitors, scanners and printers are the minimum to enable remote work. You should also consider issues like security, file management, internal communication and remote signatures. There’s plenty of readily available software to handle all of those points. 

However, the tech you need to remotely gain new clients, conduct your business and establish trust are an entirely different ball game. Law firms aren’t used to handling all their affairs over the internet. Yet that’s exactly what you need to do if you want to grow during the pandemic, and into the future. Establishing and maintaining trust so that your customers feel safe while they’re handling their sensitive legal matters is critical.

Collect witness testimonies and depositions with live video conferences 

Live video conferences and live chat software have been gaining ground since Covid-19 forced businesses around the world to work from home -- though they were around for quite some time before the pandemic hit us. Using this technology, many organizations have been able to successfully collaborate remotely, close new clients and even raise money.  

But the business of law is a uniquely complicated one. It runs at a different pace and prioritizes issues like privacy and security above all else .Standard law processes like arrangements, depositions and testimonies are often extremely intense and need to be handled with care. They require close monitoring of body language and direct, personalized communication. The only remote collaboration technology that can handle that type of interaction is live video conferences and live chat platforms.

Surprisingly, video conference and live chat software may be particularly suited to remote law work. For example, the fact that video conferences can be saved and stored in a centralized location makes it easy to access it afterwards. Advanced video editing tools can bookmark specific footage, making the research and discovery processes much faster and more efficient.  

This innovative type of software empowers direct, personalized interactions with customers, coworkers and colleagues. Using live chat and video conferences, you can catapult the core of your law firm operations into the digital era. Whether you’re working from home or in the office, live video chat helps you get your work done, close new accounts and keep your customers satisfied.

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Use legal video conferencing software for arraignments

Legal proceedings across the US are already taking place over live video chat. If the courts are already using video conferences to conduct their business, there’s no reason you can’t do the same. States from Florida to Texas are streaming courtroom discussions and holding oral arguments remotely, without even meeting face-to-face.

Arraignments specifically are a perfect process for video chat. The process of formally charging someone in court and receiving their response typically only takes a few minutes. Yet, scheduling issues in the physical world can have your clients waiting hours to get their time in court.

When clients are already in custody, the benefits of video conferencing are even greater. Instead of having to deal with the risky, expensive and time-consuming process of transporting people to court, they can simply connect to video chat and finish the whole business up in a fraction of the time.

Consolto’s Video Conferencing Solution for Lawyers

Consolto’s advanced video conferencing platform is the perfect solution for law firms and lawyers looking for remote capabilities. Industry-leading video and sound quality ensure that even the smallest of details are faithfully visualized so that you catch every nuance. 

Simple to embed into your website, Consolto’s fully customizable widget makes it easy for your customers to kick off interactions at the click of a button. Consolto’s personal pages feature dedicated links that you can instantly send to anyone you want to start chatting with.

Extremely competitive pricing and a flexible range of packages help you find the perfect setup for your needs. The ‘Smart’ package is great for small outfits just starting their digital enterprises, while the ‘Clever’ package gives you bang for your buck. The ‘Genius’ package is best suited to bigger operations ready to go all-in on digital, while the ‘Enterprise’ package is perfect for those who need a custom setup.

Consolto’s solution was built for the needs of law firms in mind. Two-way file sharing makes it easy to collaborate by sending and receiving files while you chat. Embedded notes enable you to keep track of important thoughts and details that come up during your live chats. 

Advanced scheduling ensures that you’re always able to provide maximum availability. Potential and existing customers can easily set up an appointment to speak with you if you’re not currently manning your station. 

Whether you’re thinking about going remote, or simply want to keep your team safe at home during the pandemic, video chat is an ideal solution for your law firm. Consolto’s innovative features like two-way file sharing, calendar scheduling, note taking and more simplify collaboration and make remote law work more productive than face-to-face meetings.