Greg Stewart, managing director, GT Stewart Solicitors & Advocates, London
"My hubris guard was duly adjusted as I ranted at the third ‘scanner’ to mangle the post at our East Dulwich office last week. Having run a paperless multi-office platform that regularly let people work remotely for the past two years, I felt fairly confident we could cope with the new arrangements. However, I was reminded that we still need real world kit to work to keep the virtual one going. Kit aside, I really need to mention those working in crime: stress and emotion are daily fare in police stations and criminal courts but add genuine fear for all our safety and it has taken real courage to keep going.
The virtual platform reforms have been fast forwarded by months. Police station, Magistrates’ Court and Crown Court attendances can be conducted from a quiet room at home, if it can be found. Traffic jams and train delays have been replaced by ‘link anxiety’ and the ‘unmute’ checks. After this we cannot go back to the previous waste of time and resources if a remote link will do just as well, but we will need to evaluate when it will. Oh yes, and I nearly forgot: the restrooms and canteen facilities are immeasurably better."
