Mobile videoconferencing allows lawyers and other parties to participate in legal proceedings from the comfort of their office or home. Mobile videoconferencing can best be described as Skype with security, for a fraction of the cost of traditional videoconferencing.
All that is required is a broadband Internet connection with a computer, laptop or SmartPhone device equipped with a camera. There are a number of situations in which mobile videoconferencing should be considered as a viable option. One instance would be when counsel has identified a potential expert witness and wants to see the prospective expert fact to face before hiring him or her.
Another situation in which mobile videoconferencing can be used is in situations when key witnesses are unable to be physically present to testify at a trial. Recently, a key witness of one of our clients was unable to testify in open court as he had just recovered from open heart surgery. Rather than not having this key witness’ testimony for his case, counsel hired Planet Depos to bring the witness’ testimony into the courtroom via mobile videoconferencing.
One of our trial technicians went to the home of the witness with a laptop and air card, while another technician sat in the courtroom with a laptop and screens in front of the judge, jury and counsel, and an air card. Counsel conducted direct, cross, redirect and recross of this key witness. Without the use of mobile videoconferencing, the key witness’ testimony would not have been possible.
Mediators are also using mobile videoconferencing as a backup when key participants are unable to get to the mediation because of flight delays or cancellations.
Several courthouses are considering allowing counsel to participate in informal hearings with the use of mobile videoconferencing. Joint plaintiff and defense groups are using mobile videoconferencing to conduct meetings and share documents. In addition, law firms are making use of mobile videoconferencing to provide CLE opportunities or conduct training of its employees in multiple offices.
Whether participating in a deposition, hearing, mediation, arbitration, trial, interview, meeting, each participant is sent a link to the secure “virtual conference room,” instantly allowing all participants to see and hear all of the other participants in the conference. Attendees can be participating from a traditional videoconferencing unit, a computer or laptop, an iPad or SmartPhone device or any combination thereof. In other words, each participant can be connected with a different type of device or any combination thereof. In other words, each participant can be connected with a different type of device. Each virtual conference room can connect up to eight different locations.
Support staff, clients, expert witnesses, claims adjustors and other parties can also participate in a legal proceeding with the use of secure mobile videoconferencing. Absolutely no software downloads are necessary.
Secure video conferencing increases productivity by saving you and your litigation team time and money. The need to travel out of town to meet a prospective witness or expert is virtually eliminated. Mobile video-conferencing is affordable, reliable and user-friendly. Planet Depos has conference rooms and video-enabled laptops around the world to make it easy for your witnesses, experts and colleagues to participate in meetings, depositions, arbitrations and mediations on-line with the simple click of a mouse.
With Planet Depos’ secure video conference solutions, you can focus on what matters most, your case, as opposed to whether or not the connection is secure. Only authorized participants will have access to your meeting.
Planet Depos has highly skilled realtime reporters and legal videographers available to provide you with streaming text should you need to enhance your legal proceeding with a realtime text stream. Our blog, “What is a Streaming Video Deposition?” explains how that service works and the benefits it provides.
Improve productivity, collaboration and lower litigation costs by participating from the convenience of your own home, office, SmartPhone device or in one of Planet Depos’ conference rooms. Whether you are located in New York, your client in Seattle, and your expert in Shanghai, you can count on Planet Depos’ reporters, videographers and secure, reliable virtual video-conferencing to leverage the power of the Internet for all your meeting, deposition, arbitration and mediation needs.