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that they would not have done in a more formal, A Zoom video-conference call.
in-person setting. Photo: insta_photos/Shutterstock.com

Those interviewed agreed the positives of Zoom
far outweigh the negatives. They also believe Zoom
will be with us long after the coronavirus has been
stamped out.

“The interesting and unexpected thing about
Zoom is that we are calling from our own spaces
into these sort of formal settings, which is not ordi-
nary. The impact it creates is this sense of familiarity
with those on the call. We are sitting at home and,
for example, the cat is on the call,” Kriesen said.

‘Part of your world’ “I think an important part of being an attorney is
Many people are cognizant that others will be empathy, and understanding people in their context.
checking out their home and will plan accordingly, I think it also helps for clients to see their lawyers in
said Carolyn Kaas, associate dean of experiential their context and Zoom does that. It humanizes the
education and an associate professor of law at Quin- lawyer more than the client,” Chill said.
nipiac University School of Law. Kaas echoed those sentiments.
“Some lawyers have a fake “Zoom is the great equalizer.
bookshelf behind them on a Lawyers and judges don’t control
Zoom call, but many are rearrang- the space. They share the space,”
ing books in what sliver of their Whether it’s by capturing a Kaas said.
reality is being shown. They will dog’s bark during a Zoom
show books that people will be session, a cat climbing for ‘Zoom fatigue’
impressed with, maybe law books a cuddle, or your young Still, Zoom is not a panacea,
or novels. Probably, though, no Kaas said.
risque novels. Maybe they will child doing something “Zoom can be exhausting. Why?
silly in the background,

have an anti-racist book sitting many say the technology Because our brains have to work
obviously behind them,” Kaas said often allows participants harder to making meaning of what
Tuesday. to reveal something about is essentially pixels on a screen, and
Those books and other back- to then translate that into human
ground scenes are not only themselves that they emotions and reactions,” he said.
attention-getters, but also ice- Chill agreed.
breakers. would not have done in “There can definitely be Zoom
a more formal, in-person
“Some choose to have flowers fatigue. One: It’s not a natural way
setting.

or artwork. It all goes to human- of communicating. And two: It
izing someone. People are seeing a doesn’t have the give-and-take of
part of your world that they have an ordinary interaction. The brain
never seen before. It’s a sense that we are all in this is constantly trying to interpret all of the little pieces
together,” Kaas said. of data it’s receiving.”
There is also the empathy factor, which is impor- ¦

tant in all attorney-client relationships, said Paul Robert Storace covers legal trends, lawsuits and
Chill, an associate dean for experiential education analysis for the Connecticut Law Tribune. Follow
and clinical professor of law at the University of him on Twitter @RobertSCTLaw or reach him at
Connecticut School of Law. 203-437-5950.

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