Category: Uncategorized

Uncategorized

TECH TIP 13 – HOW TO HAVE PRIVATE DISCUSSIONS IN ZOOM

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In the days before COVID, when depositions were held in person, counsel would simply leave the room with their clients to have a private conversation. 

Now that we are working remotely, some are finding it difficult to connect with their clients.  We see private texting or the muting of microphones so they can have a private chat via a phone call.  Fortunately, there is an easy solution called breakout rooms.

The Host of the Zoom meeting can easily assign participants to breakout rooms.  Multiple breakout rooms can run simultaneously. Once in a breakout room, the discussion is completely private.  Only the participants invited to that specific breakout room can see and hear each other.  Uninvited people have no access to what is being said. 

Participants can return to the Zoom session on their own.  They can also be prompted to return to the session via a “ping” from the Host requesting their presence.

Breakout rooms are a valuable tool for all participants.  If Wong Associates is hosting, we can set this up for you.

Technology, Uncategorized, Video Conferencing, Zoom

TECH TIP 11 – Breakout Rooms in Zoom

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Off the Record discussions can be handled with Breakout Rooms in Zoom.

When counsel and the witness need to confer during a deposition, the Host can create a breakout room(s).  Breakout rooms can be assigned giving individuals the privacy needed.  It is similar to parties leaving the room. In this case, you are “leaving” the main session.

To initiate a Breakout Room, the Host must click the bottom of the Zoom Screen and select Breakout Rooms.  Once the room is set up simply Join the breakout room you are assigned to.  Once in the breakout room, you are free to have a private discussion.

Breakout rooms work the same as if you were in the main room. You have access to Chat and Share Screen with participants within your secure breakout room.

When you are done with your conversation, click Leave Room, Leave Breakout Room to return to the main session.

The Host is also able to send a message via Chat to participants in the Breakout Room requesting them to return to the session.

Hyperlinked Exhibits, Litigation Support, Technology, Uncategorized, Video Conferencing, Zoom

TECH TIP 10 – Share Screen Navigation Options

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Share Screen allows all participants to View a document at the same time. This feature is best used for viewing jpg files and for annotations. You can also share video and audio files in Share Screen.

If you are viewing a multi-page document, depending on your version of Adobe, you can jump to a desired page. Type in a # where you see 1 / 11 and hit enter. It will jump to that page.

If your document is OCR-ready, CTRL+F to search for a word or phrase to get to the desired location within the document.

Protocol for sharing files in Share Screen:

To use Share Screen, click the SHARE SCREEN button located in your meeting controls. You will see a White Board, and file(s) you would like to view. Click on the desired file.

If you would like to give others the option to share files, the Host must click on the Arrow beside Share Screen at the bottom of the screen to let others share files. Choose Multiple Participants.

Share screen allows all participants to View one document at the same time. Only the person sharing the document can move the document on the screen. 

For a participant to take control of Share Screen, click the View Options drop down menu at the top of your in-meeting window and select Request Remote Control. Then click Request to confirm.

Aside from viewing the file, this is how others can annotate the document being viewed to then be saved as an exhibit, if needed.

ALT+S to Stop the share.

NOTE: Doris O. Wong Associates is happy to extract pages in a multi-page document that can be shared as one shorter file and/or hyperlinked to be shared in Chat.

Litigation Support, Technology, Uncategorized, Video Conferencing, Zoom

TECH TIP 7 – Sharing an Audio file in Zoom

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While in Zoom, click on the green Share Screen at the bottom of your screen.

It will ask you to “Select a window or application you want to share”

Locate the MP3 file that you want to share and click on it.  Participants will be able to hear the audio file.

NOTE:  It’s most helpful to have the location of the MP3 file open for easy access.

To get out of Share Screen, hit the red Stop Share button.  You will be brought back to the participants.

MP3 files can also be hyperlinked and shared in Chat.

Uncategorized

TECH TIP 2 – Sending in documents for Hyperlinking

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Doris O. Wong Associates has been hyperlinking documents since COVID-19 hit. Over the past few months, we have streamlined the process that we think works best for our clients.

SCENARIO 1:  Email or snail mail the documents to everyone

PRO:  Everyone has all of the documents for review

CONS:  (1)Everyone has all of the documents whether they will be used or not.  This could reveal your strategy.  We had a scenario where opposing counsel objected to the documents before the deposition even started. (2)Cost to print and ship documents to all parties.

SCENARIO 2:  Have Doris O. Wong Associates Hyperlink your documents

PRO:  Only you and the court reporter will have access to the hyperlink list.  Documents are stored on our secure server.

CON:  In order to guarantee that you get the hyperlink list on time, we strongly request that we get the documents two days prior to the deposition/hearing to avoid conversion fees.

NAMING CONVENTIONS:

We request that when you send us your documents to be hyperlinked that you label them A-Z and not  1-100.  When presenting a document via Chat, if you present A-Notice of Deposition, it can be marked it as Exhibit 1.  This avoids confusion as to what is marked. 

Oftentimes, counsel provides numerous documents that aren’t used and/or they skip around based on how the deposition is proceeding. By keeping the A-Z convention, there is less confusion on everyone’s part, e.g., A=1, F=2, D=3, etc.