As an attorney, it is important to be efficient with your time and money. With the ever-increasing cost and hassle of travel, a great way to save time and money is by using videoconferencing to conduct out-of-town depositions, attend meetings, and even bring witnesses into the courtroom who otherwise would not be able to appear. In the past several years, we have seen an increasing demand for videoconferencing, and often clients come to us wondering if they can just use Skype for their deposition. I will try to answer that question in this blog.
Skype is great. My family uses Skype on a daily basis to connect with family around the country. It is free, easy to use, and is an all-around user-friendly experience. It is reasonable, then, for you to think, “Why not use Skype for my deposition?” In fact, many attorneys have done just that. Well, I’m here to tell you that Skype is the wrong tool for the job.
“But,” you say, “Skype is free!” True, there are several free consumer videoconferencing options to choose from, including Skype, but have you ever wondered who you would call when you have technical problems in the middle of a deposition? It is one thing for a video feed to cut off in the middle of a conversation between loved ones, or the audio to be a bit unclear, but it is another thing entirely to have technical problems in the middle of an important event such as a deposition or, even worse, trial testimony.
To illustrate, I offer you a recent real-life example from the trial of George Zimmerman.
If they sought professional assistance with their videoconference, this awkward moment in this extremely high-profile case could have been avoided.
Here are several areas in which professional videoconferencing stands above consumer tools such as Skype:
Logistics
Arranging a video connection for a deposition or trial testimony can be a hassle. One of the reasons attorneys choose videoconferencing is to avoid the hassle and time of travel, so adding inconvenience back in to the mix really doesn’t make sense. When you choose Coash & Coash to take care of the videoconference for you, we do all the leg work of finding rooms, shipping equipment, testing connections, and every other little thing that needs taken care of. At the end of the day, you can rest assured that everything will be in place so that you can simply walk in and focus on what you do best.
Reliability
The fact is, consumer tools like Skype are not as reliable as professional videoconferencing. What may work great one day may fail you on the next day. At Coash & Coash we use proven professional videoconferencing equipment and connections which we use day in and day out, providing attorneys with a consistent, dependable experience.
Technical Support
No technology is perfect. At some point we all run into technical difficulties, especially when using consumer products such as Skype. When using Coash & Coash you can count on our experienced, knowledgable technicians to quickly resolve problems as they arise. As they say, hope for the best, plan for the worst. Don’t leave your videoconference to chance. Put it in professional hands.
Audio quality
When you are making a record, the quality of your audio is extremely important. Everyone needs to be able to understand one another, and most importantly, the court reporter has to be able to make an accurate record. Skype and other consumer products have inconsistent audio quality. Add to that fact that you have no idea what equipment the other side of the call will be using for their Skype. Will the volume and clarity be sufficient? Your guess is as good as mine.
Security
As you saw in the Zimmerman trial example, having a secure connection is important. The fact of the matter is, Skype is a tool for the consumer. It is meant to connect as many people as possible to one another. That’s not what you want for your deposition or trial testimony. You want only the people you choose to have the ability to participate. Coash & Coash uses only private and secure connections for your videoconference.
This is by no means an exhaustive list, but hopefully I have been able to make the case for professional videoconferencing over the use of Skype for your depositions and remote trial testimony. At Coash & Coash we pride ourselves in being able to connect you to your event in nearly any situation. Whether it be from your cell phone, tablet, personal computer, or in a conference room, we can make it happen. For more information on videoconferencing, contact Coash & Coash today. 602-258-1440.