Video & Team Communications

• Cisco Webex—A long known video conferencing and online meeting option. Host events, train your team, and support your customers. If you’ve never used Cisco Webex, sign up here. Find help here.
• ClickMeeting—A reliable video conferencing solution for small businesses simple to use and nicely priced. If you’ve never used ClickMeeting, sign up here. Find help here.
• FreeConference—Join meetings by phone or by web, share your screen or chat, with everything you need to collaborate effectively. If you’ve never used FreeConference, sign up here. Find help here.
• Google Hangouts—Integrates with your company’s existing G Suite account, if you have one, and is offering free expanded meeting capabilities during the pandemic. If you’ve never used Google Hangouts Meet, sign up here. Find help here.
• GotoMeeting—A straightforward video conferencing tool that offers a 14-day free trial. If you’ve never used GoToMeting, sign up here. Find help here.
• Join.Me—An easy tool to facilitate video conferences involving people from different organizations. If you’ve never used Join.Me, sign up here. Find help here.
• Microsoft Teams—A great tool for internal communication. It is included if you have Office 365, which means it connects to the other Microsoft Office tools, including Word. This is a solid option for video chatting with people in your organization, and the Teams live extension allows you to produce live online events for large audiences. If you’ve never used Microsoft Teams, sign up here. Find help here.
• RingCentral Meetings—An easy to use, all-in-one cloud-based phone, team messaging, video conferencing platform with transparent pricing and free 24/7 support. If you’ve never used RingCentral, sign up here. Find help here.

Zoom

Zoom: Not a one-trick pony

This Zoom Resource Guide provides a wealth of information, from training guides, to set up and appearance tips, security information, and more.

Zoom Training for Lawyers and Using it Securely May 26, 2021

The Zoom home page provides information on how to sign up and general information on why Zoom is considered a top video conferencing app.

For accessibility guidance refer to Zoom Meetings for Everyone, an easy step-by-step guide, as well as Yale University’s guide Usability & Web Accessibility.

This excellent 38-minute Getting Started Video provides a broad overview of what Zoom can do for you. A great place to learn its full functionality.

Only want a quick tour? Watch these One-Minute Video Introductions to learn task specific features such as Joining & Configuring Audio/Video, Meeting Control, Sharing Your Screen, and more.

Enter the one-stop-shopping Zoom Help Center to choose from a wide variety of topic options.

Choose these dedicated links for instructions and graphics on task specific topics:

Getting Starting
Audio-Video Sharing
Meetings & Webinars
Account & Admin
Zoom Rooms
Integration

Access the Zoom Training site for Live Training Webinars, Video Tutorials, Recorded Training Sessions, and Meeting & Webinar Best Practices Resources.

Navigate like a pro with this cheat sheet for Zoom keyboard shortcuts.

Free SBM Zoom Backgrounds to Download

Review these detailed reference guides for step-by-step Zoom guidance:

Zoom Meetings Training—Reference Guide
A Zoom Success Guide to Webinar Scheduling & Customization
Online Event Best Practices—A Zoom Success Guide
Deployment Guide for Administrators

Access Zoom Plans to determine your best fit.

Access Zoom Service Status for operational status as well as scheduled and completed updates or subscribe to email updates from the home page.

Electronic Signatures

An electronic signature, or eSignature, is an electronic sound, symbol, or process attached to or logically associated with a record and executed or adopted by a person with the intent to sign the record. Michigan has adopted the Uniform Electronic Transactions Act (UETA) which governs the use of electronic signatures and attestations.  Details about the scope of the UETA is available here.

Electronic Signature Software

• Adobe Sign—With Adobe Sign documents are signed in minutes.  Keep your practice moving by easily collecting signatures from your clients around the world. If you have Adobe Acrobat DC or Adobe Acrobat DC Pro, it comes with a subscription to Adobe Sign with eSignature features already embedded in the software.
• Docusign—The DocuSign System of Agreement platform enables law firms of all sizes to exceed client expectations by accelerating agreement turnaround time and reducing costs, all while ensuring document security and privacy.
• HelloSign—A simple eSignature platform with reusable templates and an affixed audit trail that ensures actions are tracked and time-stamped.
• RightSignature—This Citrix software allows you to deliver documents via email with a secure link or by embedding on a website.
• Zoho Sign—A simple user interface with robust features allows for secure signing, sending, and management of documents from anywhere.

Remote & Electronic Notarization 101

Executive Order 2020-41 encourages the use of electronic signatures and remote notarization, witnessing, and visitation during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Office of the Secretary of State has approved five vendor systems to be used in Michigan to conduct electronic and remote notarizations. The approved vendor announcement is here.

• E-Mortgage Law—Information about available services are here. First time users can create an account here.
• Nexsys—Information about available services are here.  First time users can create an account here.
• Pavaso—Information about available services are here.  First time users can create an account here.
• NotaryCam—Information about available services are here.  First time users can create an account here.
• Notarize—Information about available services are here.  First time users can create an account here.