Peer to Peer Magazine

CASE STUDIES A New Generation of Videoconferencing by Maureen A. Durack, Director of MIS at Vedder Price, P.C. and Ofer Shapiro, CEO and Co-Founder of Vidyo Inc. practice five years ago, the choices of available systems were limited and far from ideal. We had no choice but to use expensive room systems that required intensive IT support and dedicated networks to guarantee delivery of video packets. There was no getting around a substantial investment in high-end equipment and staff that could provide specialized technical support. Eventually we needed something more versatile, W scalable and affordable. The system needed to provide us with multiple endpoints on multiple devices, as opposed to the standard room-to-room connections, as well as high- definition capabilities with minimal network requirements and management needs. FULFILLING OUR REQUIREMENTS After extensive testing, we decided on a solution that delivers a natural, life-like experience that is invaluable for legal proceedings and services: the ability to clearly observe participants' reactions — even subtle expressions and body language. The system is software-based, using a completely unique architecture and special IP. This has minimized our firm's need for complex equipment and expensive dedicated networks. The system also fulfilled our firm's requirement for high- quality transmission and reception of telepresence-quality video over shared IP networks on standard computers. As an added bonus, video meetings are easily recorded for later viewing on an attorney's, court reporter's or judge's desktop or laptop computer. As Lonnie Horvat, the A/V and Multimedia Specialist at Vedder Price, explains, "Our objective, when we were evaluating new videoconferencing solutions, was to 40 www.iltanet.org Peer to Peer hen Vedder Price P.C., a businessoriented law firm composed of 265 attorneys with offices in Chicago, New York, Washington, D.C. and London, invested in videoconferencing for its daily choose a system that was not tied to a propriety standard, network or equipment. Vidyo offers amazing flexibility in terms of the 'off-the-shelf' equipment and devices that can be used as endpoints." EXCEEDING EXPECTATIONS According to Lonnie Horvat, "What we're seeing is that our employees now know that Vidyo is a valuable tool at their disposal; the more they use it the more they love it, and they use it again and again." Our users have realized that this videoconferencing solution is the perfect means of communication when people cannot be physically present in the same location. We can provide access to appropriate participants who have laptop or desktop computers and mobile smartphones and tablets, without the need for dedicated networks or physical spaces for room-based videoconferencing. We are also realizing potential costs savings through significant productivity gains and increased efficiency because videoconferencing enables more flexible scheduling of depositions and meetings. Travel and delays in attendance no longer need to be factored in when planning. In a profession where unnecessary "billable hours" are a frustration to clients, the use of videoconferencing ensures that our lawyers' time is not wasted in airports and cabs. This is a benefit to both lawyers and their clients. The system has given us the capability to expand in the future and achieve geographic flexibility without being tied to high-maintenance equipment. We're able to use video communications much more than we could with our former system — for mandatory continuing legal education (CLE), attorney collaborations, regular legal meetings between all offices, administrative meetings between office managers and for depositions that once required extensive time and travel. The world is truly getting much smaller due to such time- and travel-saving innovations. ILTA

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