Providing legal services remotely: a guide to available technologies and best practices

Publication date: September 23, 2021

Legal Services Providers (LSPs) often face challenges in  effectively and efficiently providing legal services to their  clients. Even before the COVID-19 pandemic, conditions  existed that made providing services remotely a desirable  alternative to face-to-face meetings. Work schedules,  caregiving responsibilities and barriers to transportation  can all make meeting face-to-face difficult or impossible.  Sometimes the nature of the meeting simply does not  require an in-person encounter. 

The COVID-19 pandemic has forced us all to confront the  reality that providing legal services remotely is not only  necessary to meet the needs of clients, but it is also in  the best interest of public health and reducing the risk  of infection. Meeting with a client in-person is now often  impossible. And even when it is possible – is it wise? In person meetings might not only threaten the health of  the client and legal services staff, but also their families  and communities.  

The purpose of this guide is to highlight some of the ways  to provide legal services remotely. Technology has evolved  to allow for remote “meetings.” Videoconferencing – until  recently available only to large corporations – is now  commonly available to anyone with a computer or mobile  phone through Zoom, Microsoft Teams, GoToMeeting and  other accessible platforms.  

This guide will introduce many of those platforms, as well  as good practices for using them. It is meant to serve as a  practical resource for LSPs around the world, particularly  those operating in rural areas. 

Providing legal services remotely presents new challenges. Public Wi-Fi networks raise concerns of confidentiality  and privacy, as does the transfer of information over the  internet or through instant messaging. It can also be a  challenge to obtain signatures on legal documents when  client meetings are only conducted remotely. This guide will  address those issues, too.  

On top of the health issues associated with COVID-19, the  pandemic has created an increased need for legal services  in areas including domestic violence, housing and evictions,  public benefits, and issues related to employment. Now,  more than ever, the need for remote legal services  is critical. 

The pandemic will pass, eventually. However, the challenge  of providing effective and efficient legal services is ever  present. This guide is intended to assist in navigating the  current pandemic and to provide a framework for remote  legal services in the future. Finally, this guide does not  specifically address issues related to working with clients  in custody, and thus is primarily targeted at LSPs working  on civil matters.

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