Do Attorneys Offer Video Consultations?

The most accurate answer to the question “Do attorneys offer video consultations?” is, “Yes, many do!” Meeting a client face-to-face might have been the easiest and most efficient mode of communication 20 years ago. But today, things are a little bit different. While face-to-face meetings can still be an invaluable method for an attorney and client to interact, video consultations are becoming more and more standard.

The ease of connecting with a client, business partner, or another attorney via a video consultation can make running a small law firm much more efficient and economical. Many attorneys also offer video consultations because this method of communicating is relatively simple and can be highly productive.

Some of the benefits of opting for video consultations include the following:

The ability to spend time more efficiently with current and prospective clients. Have you ever calculated exactly how much time you (or your client) spend traveling to an in-person meeting? A video consultation eliminates the time spent traveling to a meeting. Additionally, there is no time wasted if/when a client misses a scheduled meeting.

The option of meeting with clients on weekends or off-hours. If you or your client has limited availability and must meet during the evening or over the weekend, a video consultation might be the only feasible alternative to an in-person meeting.

Last minute or spur-of-the-moment meetings can occur without scrambling to find a time to meet in person. A video consultation can be completed anywhere and at any time of the day or night. When a meeting is urgent, but you and your client are located in different cities, a “face-to-face” meeting can still take place.

If you have never used video for consultations but you are considering offering this option in the future, make sure to consider the following questions:

Who benefits from video consultations? In most situations, you, your clients, other attorneys, and anyone else involved, can benefit from a video consultation. Unless either the client or the attorney believes that an in-person meeting would be beneficial, a video consultation can usually be completed more efficiently and without wasting time traveling to a meeting place.

Are video consultations with an attorney a secure way to communicate? With up-to-date security features and encryption, a video consultation can be safe and secure. It’s important to ensure your video system is set up correctly and designed for optimal quality.

How can video consultations affect your billable hours in a positive way? Because video consultations can be completed in less time than an in-person meeting, it may be possible for an attorney to transition from a video consultation with one client directly into billable work for another client without delay. Additionally, the ease of video consultations can result in more frequent meetings with clients, which can lead allow for an increase in the number of billable hours.

If you are a solo attorney and are interested in learning more about video consultations but you don’t know how or where to start, there are resources that help make it easy, including these: JoinMe.com, Webex.com, and  Zoom.us.