in the high court in KwaZulu-Natal determined that an 80-year-old Yugoslavian witness, who couldn’t afford to travel from her home country of Montenegro to Durban for the case, could provide evidence and undergo cross-examination remotely using video conferencing technology.
Three years on, the pandemic has fuelled VC’s meteoric growth in the legal industry, making it more than just a tool for isolated court cases and a catalyst for change in legal firms throughout the world.Historically, technology has been a mechanism for change, allowing companies to adopt more competitive business models, and law firms are no exception.by Hazelwoods, 1 270 lawyers worked in virtual offices in 2020 in the UK alone, which is a 22% increase from the previous year’s figures.
When comparing a virtual law firm’s day-to-day operations to a traditional one, it’s easy to see why this alternative is so appealing. Using VC technology, law firms can conduct face-to-face consultations, depose witnesses and finalise deals more effectively than their traditional counterparts, saving time and money.The 2018 high court case shows that VC technology allows legal firms to consult with clients in different provinces or countries.
VC technology also has a significant security advantage over phone conferencing as without video, lawyers often can’t see who has joined the group conference call.when deposing witnesses and interacting with clients. Legal professionals can pick up on these cues during video conferencing, which creates a more realistic environment than audio-only calls.With VC technology, law firms can change to a hybrid or entirely virtual way of working.