Experts & Video Conferencing
It’s no secret — there are times when an entire case comes down to the guidance and perceived credibility of your expert. A common lament among practitioners is that clients are reluctant to pay the high cost of the best experts. Realistically, who can blame them? Good experts are expensive and in demand. They lead busy lives and are often located far from trial or deposition sites.
Law firms have turned to videoconferencing as a way to not only secure the best experts, at reasonable cost, but to gain better insights from our experts and to evaluate how they will be perceived on the witness stand.
Three Benefits
Firms have turned to videoconferencing because of at least three primary benefits for the client, the expert, and the attorney:
1. Consulting with an expert via videoconference assures both the expert and client that there won't be inconvenient, expensive travel as you prepare for trial. We've been able to retain top experts at significantly lower costs by eliminating travel and the related outofpocket expenses.
A few years ago, one of our clients had a high profile case that required the use of a top expert in security and crowd control. The leading expert was across the country managing security for the Democratic National Convention. But via videoconferencing, he was able to be in two places at once.
We scheduled a videoconference at a nearby site, and reviewed the critical issues of our case in a 45 minute meeting. His opinions and guidance proved to be crucial in our case.
2. Videotaping conferences can help you determine whether you have selected the right expert. Do they appear credible on camera? Will they play before the jury or factfinder? Later, you can replay the videotape for partners, associates and your client to get a consensus on the applicability and effectiveness of prospective witnesses. Videoconferencing, for our clients, has proven to be an unparalleled tool for "selling" the value of your expert, especially when determining your strengths in settlement or trial.
3. Once you've decided on the right experts for your case, videoconferencing helps you work with them efficiently and at significantly reduced expense. During a recent trial, opposing counsel made a statement that required an immediate review of xrays with our client's expert. Our client's expert, a leading pediatric neuroradiologist was located four hours away. Using videoconferencing, our client's team of four attorneys was able to meet with him for an hour that evening. We connected to equipment in the medical center. Everyone reviewed the CAT scans and sonograms during the videoconference and got exactly what they needed to refute opposing counsel's claims the next morning, without the cost or inconvenience of travel.
Among the many applications of videoconferencing is the opportunity to simultaneously bring together parties in three or more locations. For any attorney involved in multidistrict litigation, this is an absolute necessity. The cost of organizing an inperson conference for multiple parties in one place, at one time can be exorbitant. With videoconferencing, multipoint meetings are facilitated and attendees can receive a videotape record of the proceedings.
Patricia Murray & Associates offers this service in a professional setting with videographers and court reporters available as needed. The best experts in the world are not always located around the corner. Neither are many clients. Videoconferencing provides a valuable alternative to more than just the high costs and inefficiencies of travelÍž it offers effective and timely communication between the trial team, experts and clients.