Storybuilder Part 2: Modern Deposition Preparation
After review has concluded and trial date draws near, legal teams will typically need to prepare to depose witnesses. Associates and paralegals often work at breakneck speed to print out copies of exhibits for opposing counsel, transcribe post-deposition sticky notes into to-do’s, and synchronize deposition insights with transcripts.
Organizations that leverage enterprise-grade software create more efficient work and communication processes, eliminating wasted allocation of time, resources, and budget. By embracing technology, they are able to deliver more value to their clients while keeping costs under control.
In Part 1 of this series, we explored how cloud-based collaboration can help teams prepare for litigation, starting with the process of building arguments and outlines in preparation for depositions. Here, we will explore how modern deposition preparation can empower geographically distributed legal teams.
Bridging the Virtual Gap with Storybuilder
The Everlaw platform enables real-time, virtual collaboration — especially helpful for geographically distributed legal teams. Integrated deposition tracking tools allow significant cost reductions and time savings by eliminating the need to print out physical copies of all exhibits, pass handwritten notes, and later transfer key information into an online repository.
Drafts of deposition questions transition seamlessly into a secure, virtual workspace where teams can communicate off the record and in real time via the chat functionality. As new information is surfaced and assimilated post-deposition, colleagues can create follow-up tasks for each other and tie them to specific moments in the deposition.
Post-deposition, the Transcript functionality allows teams to import electronic transcripts from court reporters into Everlaw so that they can search, review, annotate, link exhibits, and perform other legal work on the same platform. This creates greater efficiency, which gives law organizations a higher capacity to save time and take on more clients, and changes the mixture of services provided — leading to a better experience for the end client.
The Future of Litigation Preparation
At critical points in litigation, having the right documents in hand can make all the difference. The need for legal teams to collaborate effectively while geographically distributed has never been greater. With comprehensive, integrated tools like Storybuilder, attorneys and paralegals save time on trial preparation, particularly preparing for depositions and organizing exhibits post-deposition or testimony; partners keep relevant information together in a logical, orderly fashion, on the same digital platform; and their firms can focus more effectively on substantive legal work.
For more tips, see our guide to preparing for, conducting, and using depositions here.
