1. A BT Conferencing case study
JR Jones
Video conferencing serves justice
A central tenet that puts clients first has characterised JR Jones
since the West London law firm was founded in 1989. Today
JR Jones has lawyers that span most areas of legal practice,
including family law and human rights. The firm’s fight for
justice on behalf of the parents of murdered black teenager
Stephen Lawrence culminated in the Macpherson Enquiry.
This led to a series of measures that fundamentally changed
policing methods and accountability in the UK.
BT video conferencing services help safeguard the security of vulnerable
witnesses during court proceedings
Challenge Solution Value
JR Jones often deals with difficult BT Conferencing has wide expertise A particularly valuable aspect was
situations such as domestic violence. in video conferencing and offers an that the BT video conferencing service
Balwinder Ubha, a solicitor specialising extensive product portfolio – ranging provided the ability to record the
in family law at JR Jones, explains: from sophisticated TelePresence suites to proceedings. The lawyers involved found
“Sometimes our clients fear for their desktop solutions and hosted services – this really useful and it could have, for
personal safety and are reluctant to that can assist law firms in extending the example, future training applications.
attend court in person. The needs of scope of their client services.
our clients are uppermost in our minds, Looking to the future, JR Jones predicts
so we always seek to find the right Having taken the initiative, Balwinder a steady increase in the use of video
solution.” Ubha located a suitably equipped court conferencing for sensitive cases to help
and gained agreement for the case to protect vulnerable witnesses. There are
Video can hold the key to protecting be held using BT video conferencing also other potential legal applications,
vulnerable witnesses and many UK services. The two-day hearing involved such as conducting committal hearings
court buildings are equipped with two people at the remote location – remotely to avoid the costs and risks of
video conferencing facilities. JR Jones the client and a clerk from JR Jones transporting people from prison to court.
recently needed help to set up a remote – whilst the barrister representing the
video link for one such case. client conducted proceedings from the Balwinder Ubha sums up:
Kingston upon Thames County Court “The BT video conferencing service
Balwinder Ubha used search engines building. was truly excellent and BT responded
and looked at various web sites to immediately to any questions we
understand the best way to proceed. “I Balwinder Ubha recalls: had. I think video has an important
remembered that we had successfully “The BT technology worked perfectly. role to play in the future of the legal
used BT audio conferencing services in Our barrister was even able to have a profession.”
the past,” she recalls. “When I saw that private pre-hearing discussion with the
BT had a specialist legal sector services client using the video link. In pursuit of For information on special measures
team, I called them straightaway. The justice, video conferencing helped us that are available to assist witnesses to
people I spoke with at BT Conferencing enormously to protect the welfare of give evidence in criminal proceedings
were extremely helpful.” our client.” visit: www.hmcourts-service.gov.uk/
infoabout/attend/witness/special-
measures.htm
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