Tag Archives: Zoom

2020 in the Rearview

Posted on by
Reply
Photo by Bich Tran on Pexels.com

COVID, wildfires, court operations, and closures dominated headlines and our lives. So did the tech world, the hard work of staying productive, and not letting the stress of it all get to us.

Hopefully you found some useful posts in 2020. If you’ve been battling procrastination, there is help. If you need to jump start your marketing, I did a four part series in July. If collecting fees has been … challenging … I have a few suggestions. Here’s a recap of substantive topics covered in the past twelve months. And here’s to 2021!

COVID

COVID Generally

COVID and Marketing

Reopening Your Firm

WFH (Working from Home)

Technology

Motivation and Productivity

Oregon Wildfires

Courts

Well Being

eDiscovery

Ethics

Fees and Finances

Malpractice

Client Service

Staff

All Rights Reserved 2020 Beverly Michaelis

Using Zoom for Video Conferencing

Posted on by
3

I love Zoom, but like any tech, there are potential vulnerabilities for new users.

Protect your Zoom account and avoid Zoombombing (aka hacking) by following these suggestions:

  • Be wary of links. Login at Zoom directly rather than using the meeting link. Enter the provided meeting ID to join a meeting.
  • Set screen sharing to host only. Doing so prevents your meeting from being hijacked by a hacker.
  • Use the waiting room feature to prescreen and approve attendees.
  • Try Zoom webinars instead (this is the method I use for all my CLEs). Webinar settings offer advanced controls, including several approaches to prescreening attendees.

Read more about these safety tips here.

Are Zoom Conferences Recorded?

Webinars

When I conduct Zoom CLE webinars, I record them. This is a setting I activate as host. It isn’t automatic.

Meetings

Zoom meetings are recorded by default. Zoom help explains this and instructs hosts on how to change settings. This is one area where the USA Today article is misleading. For information on Zoom encryption, see this.

Give Others a Heads Up

No matter what you do, it is common sense to give clients and others a heads up on how your video meeting will be conducted. Advise if you plan to record. Let attendees know if your conference is listen only, whether they can raise their hand, or submit questions.

Documenting Your File

Recordings have their place. For example, preserving the meeting as part of your file. Advanced settings in Zoom allow you to include all participant names, add a time stamp, save chat files, and automatically transcribe audio.

All in all, Zoom is a pretty terrific tool.

All Rights Reserved 2020 Beverly Michaelis

How to Work Remotely

Posted on by
1

For those of you struggling to figure out how your business can adapt to the age of COVID-19, here’s the good news: it can be done!

The keys, according to Washington Lawyer Jordan L. Couch, are:

  • Setting up a VPN & Remote Desktop
  • Grabbing What You Need from the Office
  • Taking Online Signatures
  • Using Cloud Storage
  • Scheduling Video Conferences and Investing in VoIP

Read more at the link below.

via How to Work Remotely as a Lawyer: An Innovator’s Guide to Law in the Time of Coronavirus — NWSidebar.

My two cents?

VPN and Remote Desktop

Remote access allows you to get to all your office files from home. Learn more by reading this post.

Grabbing What You Need at the Office

Plan before you go. If you have staff, ask for input then make a list. Find a cardboard box, sacks, or anything you can use to carry office supplies and the like – ideally virus-free and ready to go. If you’re not sure whether the carriers you’re using to bring stuff home are good to go, then disinfect. Be prepared to do it again or to “quarantine” carriers when you return home.

  • If you were last in the office four or more days ago – everything you bring home is virus-free. This assumes no one else has been in your space and had access to files or items in your workspace.
  • If you were in the office more recently, prepare to disinfect what you bring home or quarantine it for three days. The virus lives on plastic for three days and plastic is EVERYWHERE in our offices – keyboards, mice, phones, etc. Read more here.
  • Protect yourself. If you are in a firm, office share, rent space, or pay for custodial services, assume someone has been in your space and protect yourself according to CDC guidelines.

Digital Signatures

I first wrote about digital signatures in 2012. I’m a big fan. See the heading Digital Signing Apps in this post for recommendations.

Cloud Storage

If you already have Microsoft Office 365, use OneDrive. If you have Google Apps, use Google Drive. Mac user? Why iCloud of course. Otherwise, think about Box or Dropbox Business.

Phone conferencing

VOiP isn’t essential. If you use your cell phone for business, you’re already set. If you rely on an office landline, contact your provider about call forwarding. Minimally change your outgoing message so clients know you’ll be monitoring and returning calls remotely.

Video conferencing

I love Zoom for video conferencing! All my webinars are conducted through Zoom.

All Rights Reserved 2020 Beverly Michaelis

10 Products, Platforms, and Services for Lawyers

Quote

Posted on by
1

I am always on the lookout for new ideas, tools, or products that are helpful to lawyers. If you have 2 minutes to spare, watch the video at the end of this post compiled by Streaming.Lawyer blogger Mitch Jackson. It highlights how Mitch uses the following every day in his law practice:

bombbomb – an online service that records, sends, and tracks simple email videos to stand out in your client’s crowded inbox.

Zoom video conferencing – Modern video communications, with an easy, reliable cloud platform for video and audio conferencing, chat, and webinars. (I use Zoom for online CLEs and recommend it highly.)

eCamm – live video streaming for Mac platforms. Compatible with Facebook Live, YouTube Live, Periscope, and Twitch.

AgoraPulse – social media management. Should you have a presence on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, and YouTube? Yes, but who has the time. This product allows you to schedule content, get reports, and engage followers with one simple tool.

GoogleKeep – Keep is simple way to capture notes, lists, and reminders on the go. Record voice memos and Keep will automatically transcribe them! Check off completed tasks; add a collaborator to notes and lists; add photos and drawings, or draw on photos; search notes by automagically created topics; group notes together with #labels; color notes; access your notes on any device; syncs automatically to your phone, tablet, watch, and laptop via the Google Keep website, or Chrome app.
Use “Ok Google” voice commands to “take a note” or “add to to-do list.”

Canva – use Canva’s drag-and-drop feature and layouts to design, share, and print business cards, logos, presentations and more. Accounts are free.

Calendly – online scheduling is the most efficient way to set depositions, mediations, and meetings. Free and integrates with Google, Outlook, Office 365 or iCloud calendar so you’re never double booked.

Smartline – a second phone number app from GoDaddy. Unlimited texts and minutes for $9.99 per month (free 30-day trial available). Install the app on your current smartphone. Save your private number for friends and family and use Smartline for business calls.

Ruby Receptionists – a virtual reception service for your law firm based right here in Oregon. A favorite of mine and available at a discount for members of the Multnomah Bar Association.

Nimble – relationship-building software. Log on to your Nimble dashboard to manage client relationships and contacts.

Here’s Mitch’s video:

via 10 “Non-Legal” Products, Platforms, and Services I Use in My Law Practice and Highly Recommend! — Streaming.Lawyer