Why More Dallas & Houston Litigators Are Choosing Remote Depositions Over Travel
The cost savings and efficiency of remote depositions can’t be ignored for most depositions and cases. They significantly reduce costs, save time, and add value that impacts the bottom line. It’s time we embrace the future of legal practice!
One practitioner was frustrated to have recovered five figures in a jury verdict, yet ended up spending almost as much as they recovered on in-person deposition costs. Remote depositions are a less costly, better method.
How can remote depositions reduce costs compared with in-person depositions?
Direct travel costs – Dallas to Houston for an in-person deposition
Imagine you are a Dallas attorney with a deposition scheduled in Houston. This single in-person deposition generates direct travel costs of around $650:
| Mileage, 480 miles round-trip from Dallas to Houston at $0.67/mi | $321.60 |
| Or a round-trip flight from Dallas to Houston plus taxis, parking | $250 to $400 |
| Accommodation | $175 to $250 |
| Meals | $75 to $125 |
Remote depositions eliminate these direct travel costs.
Additional fees an in-person deposition can generate
In-person depositions may also incur costs for Court Reporting Agency fees that range from $700 to $900 per hour for a stenographer and videographer.
Remote depositions eliminate many of these fees.
Setup costs are negligible or zero, as most attorneys, witnesses, and offices have learned over the last four years how to do Zoom depositions. (Look for companies that leverage existing tools, like Zoom, as partners that seamlessly integrate into what you already do.)
Indirect costs – loss of revenue due to staff travel and managing depositions on-site
Travel costs are more than just direct. Depending on your rates, four hours of travel in each direction can impact $500 to $2,000 or more in lost billable hours. Or, your client actually pays for this travel time, dramatically increasing the overall cost of the deposition.
Adding it all up: Remote depositions are less expensive
Direct and indirect costs for one, in-person deposition could be as high as $4,000 to $5,000 or more. Compared with in-person depositions, remote depositions can:
- Reduce costs of by an order of magnitude – to as little as $349 per hour {link to https://skribe.ai/pricing/}
- Recover potential billable hours to apply to other clients by relieving staff of travel and on-site deposition management tasks.
The Skribe approach adds even more value to your practice
- Speed-up time-to-evidence – Get a rough deposition transcription in a few hours with AI transcription, rather than 3 to 5 weeks for traditional court reporter services {link to a blog or landing page that mentions speed of rough transcription}
- Uncover previously overlooked and valuable insights from depositions and save attorney and paralegal time via “natural language” questions about a transcript using AI {link to AI blog or to FAQ question that talks about AI}
- Create deposition video clips quickly and easily from automatically synchronized transcriptions. {Link to blog https://skribe.ai/amplifying-the-power-of-legal-briefs-by-adding-video/}
Move to remote depositions: Reduce costs. Add value.
Modern, remote depositions make legal services more affordable for you and your clients. They allow attorneys, paralegals, and other staff to use their time more effectively, focusing on case preparation and client interactions.
If you’re a practicing litigator in Dallas or Houston, think about the substantial cost savings and efficiency gains that come with remote depositions. It’s the perfect moment to modernize your practice and deliver even more value to your clients.
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