We are all living in very weird times. Some families have been devastated when Covid 19 took a loved one from them. It is impossible not to feel for them.
For those of us not so affected we still have to deal with the restrictions placed on us all. Despite everything however – life must go on. Legal issues don’t disappear just because there is a pandemic. Some things have still to get done.
And so we have had to rise to that challenge – failure to do so would be to leave our clients in the lurch and that is not in our DNA!
Our main change has been the move to “video” meetings on “zoom” or other platforms – enabling us to work with clients in a “non-contact” environment. Most clients are content to do legal business this way. We worried that perhaps older clients would be unable to have such meetings but that worry proved unfounded. If older clients are struggling themselves with the technology a family member, friend or carer generally steps in to help. We are even allowed now to witness the signing of legal documents by video, and so some clients have a complete body of work done for them when we’ve never actually met face to face! What an extraordinary change – all achieved in weeks because giving in to the pandemic was never an option.
We have managed also to keep ourselves “open for business” by telephone and in our offices virtually throughout the pandemic. But an office visit is a different experience nowadays, with temperatures taken, limited waiting, one-way systems and sanitising stations everywhere. Still if you have to see a lawyer you still can – and in a safe environment.
Finally, we have PPE and for those very rare occasions where we have to see a client in their home or maybe in hospital – we can still do it safely.
So, these last few months have been a real learning experience for us. We are particularly grateful to our clients who have proved extraordinarily cooperative in finding new ways to do things. All in all, we have managed to get close to our normal pre pandemic work levels – which is great for clients who need things done.
The question now is – even after the pandemic – will we go back to the old ways of doing work? I very much doubt it!