From bundle of documents to data bundles: Professional etiquette during online meetings

Pandemics have historically triggered pandemonium, a state of confusion arising from excitement, anger or fright. Corona virus disease (Covid-19) continues to wreak havoc while disrupting economies unsettling social and cultural norms and creating new normal. The legal profession has not been left out, noting the adoption of technology in the dispensation of justice.

But this technological and digital shift has always been the hallmark of the Judiciary’s transformative strategies for the past ten years, from Chief Justice Dr William Mutunga’s Judiciary Transformation Framework and Chief Justice David Maraga’s Sustaining Judiciary Transformation.  Though undesirable, this pandemic has disrupted the age-held normal and compelled the long-awaited transformations. Now we are in a period where our Judiciary is prioritising the use of technology to dispense justice, and it seems to be working, albeit with expected challenges.

Zoom meetings have become the new courtroom, and lawyers are finding this not only interesting but also challenging. The caption below by NTV Kenya is a clear demonstration of this-

Is it time that the Law Society of Kenya and the legal profession developed guidelines on advocates’ conduct and etiquette during virtual court sessions? I think that time is ripe for this.

Virtual meetings and court sessions tend to downplay the importance of preparation and presentation. The following three key principles (3Ps) make you professionally competent while conducting yourself online.

1. Preparation

The long held adage of wake up, dress up, show up holds true for online meetings. Preparation is key, and this cannot be done ten minutes before the event. It needs time, at least a day, a week, a month or even much earlier before the event. You need to understand what you expect of yourself and what others expect of you. So, in preparation for online court sessions and meetings, check that you have done the following-

• Ensure that you confirm the meeting dates and time, check time zones if the meeting is being hosted in a different country
• Ensure that you have read and understood the meeting agenda, documents and expectations. Write down your points and questions in advance.
• Ensure that everything you need for the meeting is available. These include gadgets to be used, a charger, availability of reliable internet, notebook, a pen
• Keep a calendar of meetings to ensure that they do not conflict, while giving an allowance of at least thirty minutes between meetings since some meetings may be extended
• Clean up your desk and the surrounding areas prior to the meeting.
• Prepare your client especially if the client is in a different location
• Have your gadgets in full charge just in case power goes off during the meeting

If you are the host or convenor of the meeting, ensure that you do the following in advance-

• Send the meeting notice, joining links and documents at least two days before the meeting.
• Ensure that the meeting agenda is clear and can be discussed within the time set.
• Review the agenda of the meeting and ask yourself if you really need to have that online meeting. Some items can be discussed on email and agreed on, meaning less time for online meetings.
• Ensure that the system to be used to have the meeting is secure, safe from hackers and convenient to those attending.

2. Participation and presentation

During the meeting, the following basic rules should be observed-

• The host should start the meeting at the scheduled time
• At the start of the meeting, the host should highlight the purpose of the meeting, the agenda items and the duration of the meeting.
• As a matter of courtesy, the host should ask the participants to introduce themselves briefly, especially where the participants are not already known to each other and are not many.
• Ask the secretary or one of the participants to take minutes of the meeting
• Do not interrupt others when they are speaking
• Mute the microphone when not speaking
• Meetings differ, with some requiring participants to have their videos on, so prepare and act accordingly. But it is important when speaking to have your video on.
• Ensure that you take advantage of the available features of the meeting system you are using, which include-
  • Screen sharing for presentations
  • Polling and voting options
  • Chats
  • Raising hand
  • Waiting room for guests
  • Recording option
• End the meeting in time. If there is need to extend, please notify the participants and seek their consent
• When ending the meeting, ensure that you summarize what has been agreed, action points and responsible persons, next meeting and other agreed positions.

3. Prohibitions

These are the things to avoid-

• Joining or logging into a meeting late
• Multi-tasking and distractions. You will be embarrassed when a question is addressed to you and you have no idea what was being discussed or the question itself.
• Scrolling though social media sites, responding to emails or having side conversations in the middle of a meeting.
• Allowing others to join the meeting when they were not invited. These can be your family members who happen to be walking by or talking to you. Inform them in advance that you will be in a meeting.
• Joining a meeting then physically leaving. It is professionally unacceptable to have your gadget attend the meeting while you are not there.
• Do not repeat what has been discussed for latecomers, they can be briefed later

Online meetings, if well utilized, present an opportunity for convenience, cost-saving and speed. As is said, really important meetings are planned by the souls long before the bodies see each other (anonymous).