Hosting Important Meetings Remotely: 3 Legal Considerations
Especially now, it's not uncommon to discuss important business dealings remotely. And while this can certainly make things easier, it can also make things trickier, particularly legally speaking.
So, to pre-empt legal troubles as far as possible, here are 3 things to consider when hosting important meetings remotely.
Confidentiality Agreements
Confidentiality agreements, or NDAs, are a God-sent when you want to safeguard sensitive information shared during remote meetings. They mean establishing a legal obligation for participants not to disclose the discussed information.
So, you want to compose a clear and comprehensive document outlining the scope of confidentiality, duration, and any exceptions. Then, utilize secure platforms that allow for electronic signatures so that the agreement execution is more efficient.
Say there's a virtual product development meeting to discuss a groundbreaking product idea. Draft an NDA specifying the perimeters of non-disclosure of product details and have participants sign the NDA before the meeting, ensuring confidentiality during discussions about the proprietary technology.
Or, say there's a collaborative research discussion to share research findings on seed germination before publication. Implement NDAs among research collaborators; have researchers sign NDAs, fostering open discussion without fear of data leaks before publication.
Remote Notarization
If there are legal documents involved, remote notarization is crucial when you want to ensure compliance with formalities, even in virtual settings.
So, you want to utilize platforms equipped for remote notarization, comply with local laws, and implement secure identity verification processes.
Take a real estate transaction to finalize a property purchase agreement for example. Use a remote notary platform, having participants verify their identity with official documents. The buyer and seller sign the contract with a remote notary witnessing the signatures, ensuring legal validity.
Or take a business contract signing to execute a contract for custom carpentry with international stakeholders. You want to employ remote notarization for signatories in different countries because with signatories from various locations utilizing remote notarization, streamlining the international contract signing process is possible.
Record-Keeping
Maintaining detailed records is imperative when you really want to ensure legal compliance, and accountability, and provide an accurate account of meeting proceedings.
So, you want to utilize platforms with features for recording attendance, capturing meeting minutes, and storing documents, etc. Then, of course, you want to restrict access of meeting records to authorized personnel.
Say there's a board meeting to decide on a sensitive hiring decision. Utilize a secure virtual boardroom with recording and document storage features and have the secretary record attendance, minutes, and decisions. This way documents are securely stored, easily accessible for future reference or audits.
Or, say there's a legal consultation session. Lawyers hold virtual consultations, record discussions, and maintain a secure archive for legal compliance and future reference.
Especially in the business world, legalities should be a paramount consideration. In particular, remote meetings can be tricky and so precaution is important.
