Technology is changing the way businesses operate at unprecedented rates, including the legal profession. From virtual hearings to background checks, file sharing and research, technology is changing the way law is practised across the world.
While some would argue these changes aren’t all ideal (virtual trials have their own challenges), other types of technology can assist legal practitioners to streamline their internal operations and make life easier (and more secure) for themselves and their teams.
Euphoria Telecom CEO John Woollam explains: “Telephony is central to modern business communications, as much as it is often taken for granted. Beyond connecting people, telephone solutions can provide businesses with workflow and process improvements too – including law firms and legal practitioners.”
He outlines how a modern telephony solution can streamline operations for legal professionals:
* Call logs – A modern, cloud-based VoIP solution with a custom management interface (or telephony management system) can provide detailed reporting on all calls coming in or out of a business. The call source or number dialled, call duration, and the outcome (or disposition) can be reported on a regular basis. This makes time-based billing easier as automated reports can be generated detailing all telephonic conversations with any given client in any selected reporting period.
* Call recordings – Modern telephony solutions enable calls to be recorded in such a way that they are searchable, secure, easy to access and usable in a court of law. Compliant call recording functionality is offered by local cloud telephony providers specifically to meet legal discovery requirements and ensure that such recordings are admissible in legal proceedings. Call recordings must be encrypted and stamped at the time of creation, as well as encrypted where they are stored in order to be legally admissible. This encryption and time-stamp makes it possible to prove recordings have not been tampered with or altered since they were created.
* Data security – Businesses need to be able to manage who in their environments has access to what information, including their telephony solution. Security and access control prevents unauthorised parties from accessing the system for illegal purposes. They also help managers restrict access to certain data on the platform – for example call records and recordings. This helps legal businesses maintain client confidentiality and data security across their operations.
Woollam concludes: “Modern phone solutions offer many additional features and functions that are particularly useful in today’s business environment. For example, being able to receive work calls on your cell phone via a mobile app and having access to the same features you have on your desk phone. If you’re still attached to your landline solution with a PABX in your reception area, it might be time to consider an upgrade.”