In a second article on how video conferencing can help law firms be more efficient and profitable, Neil Whitehead outlines how his housing law practice has made this relatively inexpensive technology work




Many commentators have said that, as a group of professionals, lawyers are somewhat behind the times when it comes to technology. But it has been mentioned in this publication and elsewhere that it is not just the small firms that are slow on the uptake - bigger firms often miss a trick when it comes to innovation.



So what is the next big thing? Voice over IP? Text messaging the courts? Can you imagine the judiciary being happy with 'inj app w/pwr of arrest wud b gr8'? There is, however, a relatively inexpensive and under-used technology that could save all firms (and of course their clients) a lot of money - video conferencing.



Although it is not a new technology - there has been significant activity in making the systems work over the last 30 years - video conferencing (VC) is becoming increasingly popular around the world. According to research by MRG, around £265 million was spent in 2005 worldwide on VC and this figure is expected to rise to £4.2 billion by 2008.



But how useful can it really be? For larger firms, the key benefits of using VC are that they can save on travel costs between offices by using the system for meetings, internal training and briefings, and when dealing with multinational clients.



For smaller firms, the benefits can be even greater. Our firm, for example, is a highly specialised housing law practice based in the north-west. Increased investment in VC over the years has allowed us to provide an almost face-to-face service to clients based across the UK. This in turn benefits all our clients, especially those in the south who previously have had to pay over the odds for quality legal services.



Clearly, for VC to be of benefit to our clients, it has to be cost-effective, and in some cases we have helped fund the purchase and installation of VC units at clients' premises. What is more, in our attempt to modernise the way lawyers embrace technology, we have also encouraged our bewigged brothers and sisters in chambers to invest in VC - with some success.



Behavioural shift



Earlier this year, Whiteheads won a tender to advise the SHAARP team (a specialist anti-social behaviour (ASB) team funded by a consortium of housing associations in Southampton) and we installed a VC system at its premises.



Although the SHAARP team is based 250 miles away, investment in better communication tools has meant efficiency all round. The VC system has been in place for three months and allows our solicitors and the ASB team to have regular face-to-face meetings.



The SHAARP project manager, Thalia Ali, told me there have been a number of benefits of using videoconferencing: 'Although speaking to a television screen is daunting at first, keeping in touch with our legal team is easy and more importantly saves money for us to invest in further ASB resources,' he said.



Not only do our clients find that there are savings to be made using VC, but we also use the technology with a number of chambers, including Exchange Chambers in Manchester and Liverpool, and Hardwicke Building in London. Exchange uses it both for conferencing with clients and internally with colleagues across sites.



Driving down costs



With leasing and purchase costs increasing year on year, some organisations (both private and public) find that the only way to stay afloat is to offset their rising costs to clients or to rationalise on their accommodation.



The two options could be either to buy smaller offices and cram in as many bodies as possible, or reduce the headcount in the office by making more staff mobile. The former is impossible if you do not want staff turnover going through the roof, but the latter means some changes in the way people work and use technology, which might be painful.



Despite this, a number of organisations in both the public and private sectors have decided that remote working, 'hot-desking' and 'mobile offices' are the future.



In the foreseeable future, I expect that the Courts Service will also expand its use of VC technology and, in addition to the telephone hearing programme that is currently being rolled out, VC will be the next way of 'appearing' in court.



So, not only will the bigger organs of the legal system 'tech-up', but also, over time, the price of VC will go down, the size of units will decrease and yet more technology will be able to 'go mobile'. Web technology will also drive this.



Green benefits



VC is really just the next logical step from conference calling and the current telephone hearing system.



Not only can employers save money by having fewer people in the office and more people working from home or other locations, but there is also the opportunity to get that 'warm feeling' of not doing harm to the planet. Having staff who can access their regular systems from home means saving at least two journeys per day, per person, which should reduce the company's negative impact on the environment and shrink its 'carbon footprint'.



Change is coming



VC technology can offer a number of ways of helping law firms be more efficient, eco-friendly and profitable while saving clients money. So what are you going to do? How will you make sure your firm is in the vanguard when it comes to achieving these aims?



The answer may be found in the words often attributed to Jack Welch, former chief executive of General Electric: 'Change before you have to.' Making the decision now to change the way you work may pay enormous dividends in the future, if you are brave enough to take those first steps.



Neil Whitehead is communications and practice development co-ord-inator at Whiteheads Solicitors in Chorley, Lancashire