We understand many attorneys and law firms are trying to sustain their practices during this incredibly difficult time, in addition to trying to stay healthy and comply with governmental mandates and social distancing directives. Instead of repeating the daily emails you likely receive telling you the best way to work from home or to stay healthy, here are a few suggestions that we hope help your practice over both the short and long terms:

• Communicate regularly with all current clients
• This is always important, but especially during this time where everyone is feeling isolated, detached and disrupted.
• A personal telephone call, a short video chat, or a short email to just “check in” are nice gestures, and can open the door to more meaningful, business-related conversations where appropriate.
• Technology can help through the use of Microsoft Teams, Zoom, Skype, or other common video chat services.
• Allows you to check the pulse of your clients, and provides you the opportunity to pass along the “status” of matters entrusted to you and your firm, especially as it relates to scheduled or impending deadlines, including those that may have just been tolled by action of the Ohio legislature.
• Reminds the clients that you are still looking after their legal needs.

Tackle some projects

• If there is something you’ve been meaning to do within your practice but have put it off for a myriad of reasons/excuses, tackle it now if you find your days not quite as busy as before.
• Examples:
  • Review and update various internal policies and procedures, especially those related to communication, use of engagement letters, retainers, billing, and document retention.
  • Review and update often used forms, such as engagement/disengagement/nonengagement letters. Samples are available on our website!
  • Create (or review if you’ve been paying attention to our prior alerts – 😊) your data breach incident response plan. Resources are available through OBLIC’s Cyber Toolbox.
  • Update and implement your document retention and destruction policy.

Get organized

• Your calendar, your desk, your office, your file room, your action items, etc. (and yes, practice social distancing and washing of hands!)

Improve your technology

• Nothing like a pandemic to test your technology! Whether it is ironing out technology glitches, or trying new tools, now may be a great time to work out the kinks!