Resources lawyers in Massachusetts need to work remotely during the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond.
Find updated restrictions on court operations in Massachusetts here.
Lawyers Concerned for Lawyers | Massachusetts LOMAP will be conducting business remotely at least until May 4th. Find more here, where we will communicate further updates as more information becomes available.
Free & Confidential Consultations:
Lawyers, law students, and judges in Massachusetts can discuss how to work remotely and other law practice management concerns with a law practice advisor, and how to cope and other mental health concerns with a licensed therapist. Find more on scheduling here.
PANDEMIC RESPONSE PLANS.
FIRST STEPS.
To start taking the right steps for your law practice, watch Prioritizing in a Pandemic for Law Firms — a webinar organized by the North Carolina Bar Association’s Center for Practice Management. Find comprehensive resources for conducting law practice operations during the COVID-19 pandemic in this post from Catherine Sanders Reach at the NCBA CPM.
Depending on your practice area, your income might have been interrupted. Find financial relief resources for lawyers in Massachusetts here.
The Massachusetts Board of Bar Overseers has published answers to questions related to COVID-19 impacts in the legal profession here. The article covers essentials on the abrupt shift to remote work, client responsibilities after being laid off, what do if a colleague in solo practice has died, financial obligations to firm employees, and much more. For questions not covered, the BBO Ethics Hotline is still operating Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays from 2p – 4p: (617) 728-8750
REMOTE WORK.
Your main disaster response efforts during a pandemic will focus on working remotely to comply with social distancing or worse, quarantine. (And still worse — we’re all at risk of falling ill.)
Here’s a Simple Guide to Remote Work to which we’ve contributed. The Oregon Law Practice Management Blog offers 5 Keys for Lawyers to Work Remotely:
- Setting up a VPN & Remote Desktop
- Grabbing What You Need from the Office
- Taking Online Signatures
- Using Cloud Storage
- Scheduling Video Conferences and Investing in VoIP
For essentials on operating a law practice remotely, watch our webinar on How to Build a Virtual Practice presented by Brooke Moore. And, we’ve collaborated with the Massachusetts SJC Standing Committee on Lawyer Well-Being to launch a TechLine for support in starting a remote practice — find more here.
The Massachusetts BBO/OBC recently published Ethical Guidance for Remote Work and Dealing with COVID-19 here. And again, the BBO Ethics Hotline is still operating Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays from 2p – 4p: (617) 728-8750. Find FAQ from Massachusetts Board of Bar Overseers here regarding their operations.
You can find a listing of resources for working remotely in response to COVID-19 here from the South Carolina Bar. Find tech issues for lawyers working remotely from Sensei Enterprises here. And also from Sensei, find more on getting started with Zoom for meetings and how to use it securely (emphasis added).
Essential Technology for the Remote Office from the North Carolina Bar CPM covers hardware from servers to scanners, software from time & billing to video conferencing.
And we’re compiling a How-To Video Tutorial Library for popular technology in the legal profession here — it already covers a range of products from Apple to Zoom and we’re still adding more.
A listing of products and resources being offered for free to support the work of legal professionals during the COVID-19 pandemic is available here from Robert Ambrogi on his LawSites Blog. To help law firms work remote during COVID-19 quarantines, cloud-based Rocket Matter is offering 3 free months of their “Essentials” practice management and time and billing product by signing up here. Rocket Matter also offers a webinar on How to Work Remotely and Still Run a Successful Law Firm. Finally, you can also find Rocket Matter’s infographic with 6 Tips for Lawyers Working Remotely from Home here.
LAW FIRM POLICIES, CLIENT SERVICE, DATA SECURITY.
For comprehensive resources on making law firm policy updates in light of the COVID-19 pandemic, refer to this post from the NCBA CPM. Here’s What You Should Know About the ADA, the Rehabilitation Act and the Coronavirus from the EEOC. Find more on Paid Sick Time and Leave Amid COVID-19 here.
Find essentials on how to communicate with and continue serving clients during the COVID-19 pandemic in this post also from the NCBA CPM. Find key considerations to cover a pandemic in your law firm disaster plans here. Find more resources on disaster plans for law firms here.
Data security is critical during a pandemic. To working remotely from home, watch our recent webinar on A Legal Professional’s Guide to Securing Your Home Network. Maintain vigilance to cyberthreats and phishing scams — find tips here. Find more resources on law firm data security here.
Again, lawyers in Massachusetts can schedule a Free & Confidential online consultation with a Mass LOMAP advisor to discuss individual concerns. Begin scheduling here.
Finally, law students and paralegals are offering pro bono services to help lawyers with COVID-19 matters. These students stand ready to provide research, drafting, and other support to attorneys. Examples of projects students may assist on include: Research regarding paid leave policies; Drafting for bail motions; Supporting efforts to seek release from immigration custody. Find more here.
ONGOING EDUCATION.
A number of organizations are providing expanded access to Covid-19 topics.
- MBA Webinars on Covid-19 — Topics include Tips to Secure Second Round PPP Funds, Return to Work and Reopening, Remote Depositions, and more, many free from the Massachusetts Bar Association.
- BBA Webinars on Covid-19 — Topics include What Massachusetts Employers Need to Know, Post-Pandemic Contract Litigation, and more, many free from the Boston Bar Association.
- ABA Webinars on Covid-19 — Topics include taking your practice remote, considerations for employers, for solos, for GCs, for government agencies, for healthcare facilities, and more. Free to members.
- Practising Law Institute Webinars on Covid-19 — Topics include Mitigating and Resolving Business Impacts of COVID-19 with ADR to Effective Communication Tips in COVID-19 Virtual World.
MENTAL HEALTH.
Find more about coping with crisis and staying balanced during the pandemic on LCL MA’s Well-Being Blog.
