Video conferences and legal proceedings now dominate the legal industry, thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic. While law is slow to adopt new technology and procedures, the pandemic forced litigators and court staff to think outside the office and courtroom.
Today, video conferencing rooms are just as important as courtrooms. Even without health concerns involved, remote depositions and meetings save a lot of time, travel and money.
Unfortunately, not every law firm can afford to create the perfect video conferencing room. That’s where Bartelt | Nix Reporting, LLC comes in: We offer private, fully functional video conferencing rooms for your important meetings and conferences.
Here are five video conference necessities to look for when you’re booking a video conference room for your deposition or other legal proceeding:
- Great acoustics: Even though you’re not projecting to an audience of hundreds, you still need good acoustics and soundproofing. Rooms with completely bare walls and hard surfaces will bounce sound waves; this can make your audio sound chaotic and garbled. It may even cause an audible echo. When you’re looking at video conferencing rooms, be sure to close the door and speak loudly. Can you hear an echo? Is there ambient noise coming in from the rest of the building, outside or from electronic devices? If so, that might not be the right choice for your meeting.
- Privacy: While you’re listening for acoustics, have a partner stand outside the room. When you speak loudly, can they hear you on the other side of the closed door? Since many legal proceedings are private matters with highly confidential information, you’ll want to ensure that you get the privacy and security your clients expect. Similarly, make sure that the room is set up in a way that passersby cannot see your screens or exhibits.
- High-quality audio and microphones: Your room should also come with the appropriate equipment, including high-quality audio and microphones. This helps cut down on the ambient noise and makes it easier for participants to hear what’s happening during the conference. Test the equipment yourself, if possible.
- Good lighting: Video conferences aren’t useful if you can’t see each subject and exhibit clearly. Make sure that the room has good lighting; use your cell phone to take a few photos (including selfies) to test whether the lighting is sufficient for your needs.
- High-speed internet access: Finally, your room needs reliable, secure, high-speed internet access—preferably an Ethernet connection. While wi-fi is more reliable than ever, having a wired connection cuts down on interference.
Looking for these five items will ensure that you have all the video conference necessities at hand so you can focus on the content of your meeting.
Interested in touring our video conference rooms, scheduling a video deposition or hiring one of our experienced court reporters? Reach out to the team at Bartelt | Nix Reporting, LLC today. We offer a number of services to support your law firm. Get in touch with us today to get started.