Leading UK-based law firm, 7BR, broaden its services and become a more sustainable business by utilizing collaborative tools from BT Conferencing including LifeSize HD video conferencing
7 Bedford Row Barristers Chambers, London, United Kingdom
Barristers’ chambers 7BR (the name comes from its address at 7 Bedford Row in London) has been in business since 1956. Today its 80-plus members are highly rated in every area in which they practice, ranging from crime and clinical negligence to commercial law and personal injury. In 2000 the firm became one of the first sets of chambers to be awarded the BarMark, and in 2004 it gained the Legal Services Commission’s Quality Mark award.
7BR is a market leader in the use of new technology to improve legal processes. Leslie Keegan, a 7BR Senior Barrister specialising in clinical negligence, offers this example:
“In my field, one has to deal with medical experts who are often located outside London and always incredibly busy. Arranging a face-to-face meeting was inevitably a tedious affair and slowed things down for our clients. There had to be a better way.”
The forward-thinking chambers considered using conferencing as a possible solution. Not only driven by customer service issues such as those outlined by Leslie Keegan, 7BR was also keen to improve communications and become a more sustainable business. It investigated the marketplace and decided on solutions from BT Conferencing, an authorized LifeSize reseller.
Tim Willis of CTS1, who acts as IT Director for 7BR, says on the choice of BT Conferencing: “The BT Conferencing team was able to provide an incisive appraisal of how its services could help 7BR be a more collaborative business.”
7BR decided that the video conferencing offering from LifeSize was the high definition product that best met their needs. Not only is the system able to communicate with video conferencing products from other manufacturers, but also works over ISDN or IP connections.
“It automatically detects the type of line that is being used, which eliminates any technical hassle,” Tim Willis said.
“The dedicated LifeSize video conference facility simplifies the process of arranging and holding meetings,” Keegan said. “In most cases, the experts have a similar facility at their hospitals or universities and we can get all parties together in no time.”
In the wider sense, 7BR barristers will naturally continue to travel to meet lay and professional clients where that is the most appropriate course of action. But where it is more convenient for clients, or where time is of the essence, the new LifeSize video conferencing suite will be the preferred medium.
7BR is also offering a video conferencing suite to other solicitors and barristers in London who do not have access to such virtual meeting facilities. Further information about booking procedures and costs can be obtained from clerks@7br.co.uk.
Video conferencing is having a transformational effect on many ways of working at 7BR.
“The direct benefits to me in carrying out my professional duties are immense,” says Keegan. “I now have a combination of conferencing technologies at my fingertips so that, whatever the circumstances, I can communicate effectively with clients, colleagues, and expert witnesses wherever they may be.”
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