Coronavirus Reopening Law Firms
Masks on! Guidance for the reopening of Law Firm Offices in New York.
UPDATE: MAY 13, 2020
Going home at the first symptoms of illness, bottomless supplies of hand sanitizer, wearing masks inside the office and erring on the side of working virtually are among the new realities that law firms should embrace as they look ahead to reopen, the New York State Bar Association said Wednesday.
“As the numbers continue to decline and we are coming down the other side of the mountain, a lot of attention is now on reopening” – Governor Cuomo
New York State has been “on pause” since March 22, 2020, all non-essential businesses having closed that day. Since then, the New York State Bar Association (“NYSBA“) has assisted those impacted by the pandemic, attorneys and indigents alike. For more than 140 years, NYSBA has been the voice of the legal profession. So when they were asked how to re-open the legal profession, they formed a Working Group on Re-opening Law Firms. Today, they released their recommendations.
Of course, drinking bleach has not been recommended to reduce the risk of infection, but a list of best practices to minimize risk of spreading infection at the office as been published. It includes:
– wearing masks and utilizing other protective equipment;
– limiting the number of people coming into the office
– avoiding crowded spaces
– eliminating open supply areas.
– emphasizing social distancing
Preparing the Workplace
For physical changes, firms should think of places that multiple employees would need to touch and craft creative ways of minimizing those locations. They should install physical barriers for employees who work in areas with heavy foot traffic and stagger workstations, according to the guidelines.
The New York Bar’s working group recommends however, that, once law firm workforces are allowed to return to the office, they should only do so “as necessary,” and otherwise stay home.
Attorneys and staff should be encouraged to wear masks and stay home if they feel sick, be required to self-report and self-isolate should they know they have the virus and be discouraged from using mass transit, according to the guidelines. The Working Group urges firms to develop plans for testing employees for the virus, and enforcing quarantines when necessary.
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Entering a ‘New Normal”
On May 11, 2020, Governor Cuomo released the “NY Forward, A Guide to Reopening New York and Building Back Better”, which specified seven (7) metrics that regions must fulfill in order to start reopening. Those includes (1) Decline in Total Hospitalizations; (2) Decline in Deaths; (3) Fewer than 2 new hospitalizations per 100,000 residents on a three-day rolling average; (4) Hospital bed Capacity; (5) ICU Bed Capacity; (6) Diagnostic Testing Capacity; and (7) Contact Tracing Capacity. As of May 13, 2020, New York City only meet four (4) of those metrics.
New York law firms should err on the side of caution in reopening their offices, bringing employees back only when needed and taking various steps to limit the risk of infection, the State Bar Association said in the guidance guidance. As shelter-in-place orders are lifted, law firms are now entering uncharted territory with a constantly evolving situation. Law firms will need to be vigilant and monitor the rules and guidance provided by governmental, health and regulatory bodies.
Coronavirus Reopening Law Firms
“In a COVID-19 world, if someone sneezes, they shouldn’t be in the office,” NYSBA President Greenberg said.
In her weekly address, Chief Judge Janet DiFiore admitted that it was still too soon to know how the State will re-open, but she announced a “new normal” for the future. Better prepare your mask, because you will need to get used to it.
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Coronavirus Reopening Law Firms
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