Traditionally, the art of litigation is far from what one would consider to be Zen, in fact it is quite the opposite. In modern day terminology, the word Zen means calmness, simplicity and balance. Being Zen means having complete mindfulness of the present, and staying focused on the path to enlightenment by removing obstacles and roadblocks from one’s life with ease and tranquility.
The legal profession is known for being exceedingly aggressive, complex, chaotic, and more often than not, results in a work-life balance that tends to lean more towards the work and less towards the life. How is one supposed to find Zen in that? For years, the demands of the industry have made it next to impossible for lawyers to reach a middle ground without sacrificing one thing or another. With the latest advancements in legal technology though, litigation professionals now have tools readily available to remove that stigma and allow them to live a simple, calm, well-balanced life.
There was a time when the legal industry viewed technology as a distraction to their profession; an unnecessary component for achieving results, but times have changed. The key to legal technology is knowing how to properly use it for different situations and how to get the most out of it without letting it overwhelm you. One specific usage that has become extremely popular as of late is remote litigation event technology.
Remote litigation event technology, like LiveLitigation’s eSuite Platform, allows lawyers and other legal professionals to attend litigation events like depositions, trials, hearings, and witness prep sessions, from anywhere in the world, without having to travel. There are many benefits to using this type of product, especially for lawyers looking for a little more serenity in their lives. Here are a few ways the features built into the LiveLitigation eSuite Platform can simplify the art of litigation:
Feature 1: Web-based Videoconferencing
With high quality web-based videoconferencing, lawyers can participate in one-way or two-way video conferences using any standard web camera. This allows members of a legal team to analyze a witness without being seen, or to conduct face-to-face questioning. The best part of this feature is it allows the lawyers to perform this task from the comfort of their own home or office, meaning no more traveling. Think about all the time that can be saved and all the stress that can be avoided by not having to travel. This means more time to take-on other cases, or better yet, more time to spend on leisure activities and with family.
Feature 2: Internet Realtime
Internet realtime streaming gives lawyers and other litigation professionals the ability to remotely follow along with a court reporter’s realtime transcript, search for and highlight keywords, add personal notes, create reports, and export data. Lawyers no longer need to be in the same room as a witness to follow along with questions and answers. Additional members of a legal team can even be invited to review the transcript in real-time, so they may research topics and suggest questions behind the scenes.
Feature 3: Paperless Electronic Exhibits
With paperless electronic exhibits, lawyers can remotely introduce, manage, and collaborate on digital exhibit files. In addition to eliminating the disorganization and chaos that often comes with paper files, using paperless exhibits also allows the storing of important documents online in an easily accessible, organized manner. Files can be instantly accessed and no one has to worry about packing up and shipping out documents, hoping they get delivered on time to the right person.
The above are just a few ways lawyers can use technology to eliminate the chaos that comes with the job. Technology has changed the legal playing field. The products on the market today provide alternative methods for practicing law; methods that are much more streamlined, much more powerful and result in much happier, peaceful, present lawyers. Lawyers that are more Zen!