The COVID-19 pandemic has caused significant disruption in the legal system, forcing courts and legal institutions to quickly adapt to new procedures to ensure that justice can continue to be served while keeping everyone involved safe. This has resulted in courts temporarily closing down or significantly limiting in-person proceedings, leading to backlogs of cases that may take years to clear.

To address these challenges, many courts have shifted to remote proceedings, such as videoconferencing and teleconferencing, to enable trials and hearings to proceed without the need for physical presence. However, this has also presented challenges in ensuring that all parties have access to appropriate technology and that proceedings can proceed smoothly without technical difficulties.

Moreover, there are concerns about the fairness of the legal process with remote proceedings, such as the ability of judges and jurors to accurately assess witness credibility and demeanour via videoconference.

Employment law advice

The pandemic has also resulted in an increase in demand for legal services related to the pandemic, including employment law advice, disputes over contractual obligations, and legal issues related to healthcare and public health. The legal industry has had to navigate complex legal and regulatory issues related to furloughs, layoffs, and workplace safety.

Many businesses have faced legal disputes over lease agreements and other contractual obligations that were disrupted by the pandemic. Additionally, there have been disputes over the legality of quarantine orders and other public health measures, as well as legal challenges to government actions related to vaccine mandates and other pandemic-related policies.

Lawyers Adapted to COVID

Overall, the pandemic has highlighted the vital role that lawyers play in ensuring that justice is served and that the legal system can continue to function, even in the face of significant challenges. However, it has also emphasized the need for the legal system to be adaptable and responsive to changing circumstances.

The pandemic has provided an opportunity for legal institutions to invest in technology and other resources to support remote proceedings and other innovative approaches to legal practice.

Looking to the future, it is clear that the pandemic will have lasting impacts on the legal system, from the increased use of remote proceedings to the ongoing demand for legal services related to the pandemic.

Changes may be challenging

While these changes may be challenging, they also present opportunities for lawyers and legal institutions to adapt and evolve to better serve the needs of their clients and the broader community.

By working together and embracing new approaches to legal practice, lawyers can help to ensure that the legal system remains strong and resilient, even in the face of unprecedented challenges like the COVID-19 pandemic.

COVID effects on law firms

The COVID-19 pandemic has forced law firms to navigate significant changes in the way they operate. With the need to prioritize safety and social distancing, remote working became the new normal, and law firms had to adapt quickly to maintain communication and collaboration among staff.

Despite the challenges, remote working has presented opportunities for firms to innovate and explore new ways of delivering legal services, such as virtual consultations and meetings, which have enhanced accessibility and convenience for clients.

However, the pandemic has also brought challenges to law firms, including maintaining productivity, managing their workload, and sustaining revenue streams due to the slowdown in the legal system and the pandemic’s economic effects.

Lawyers Adapted to COVID

Many law firms have had to adjust their operations, such as implementing new technologies and restructuring their teams, to maintain their services and manage their resources.

Lawyers will lose their jobs because of this virus. While politicians in some countries seem to be using the virus as a way to advance their political ideologies, many industries are being squeezed to their breaking point. Lawyers are one of those industries.

The government needs to step up and help businesses stay afloat. Law firms will fail, and lawyers will get laid off if the government or law society doesn’t arrange for loans to many law firms.

Law firms locked down

Firms that spend $100,000/month on rent cannot afford a lockdown in Canada. Rent makes up most of the costs of running a business. Some companies only have a few months of rent saved in the bank.

During the best of times, many people avoid dealing with their legal issues. People put off going into a lawyer’s office without the now-added risk of catching a deadly disease.

Read more: Virus Shutting Down Businesses In Ontario

A New Threat To The Legal Industry

Paralegals, technology, and artificial intelligence have been threatening traditional lawyers for years. But of all things, a virus that broke out first in China might be the threat that wipes out many Canadian lawyer jobs.

If the government or Law Society doesn’t step in and arrange for interest-free loans for law firms, many will likely go under around June 2020. Cutting mortgage interest rates won’t help businesses that didn’t borrow money. They still need to pay their payroll and rent.

The CEO of Clio, Jack Newton, wrote on Twitter “Stimulus packages for #COVID19 relief need to be focused on giving small businesses 2+ months of rent relief.”

Lawyers Adapted to COVID

Given my many years of experience in the family law industry, which is 100% based online, most lawyers are not open to working online. If they are open to the idea of it, they struggle to use the technology.

Many lawyers struggle with using technology. Just the other day, we shared a Dropbox link with the opposing party during discovery and they couldn’t figure out how to open it. This is a technology that has been around for a long time.

I don’t think for a second that lawyers will quickly be able to figure out how to do video conferencing with clients and put all their files in the cloud. Also, if clients are not willing or don’t want to come into the lawyer’s office, the lawyers’ revenue will go out the window.

Lawyer’s Jobs At Risk

Law firms of all sizes are already starting to feel the pain. Dentons, one of the largest law firms in the world with over 10,000 lawyers, posted the following statement on the front page of their website:

“Dentons represents clients in 75 countries, including virtually every location where COVID-19 has already had a serious impact.

While our principal concern is with the humanitarian nature of the pandemic, we have focused on the extraordinary depth and breadth of our global resources to ensure we remain available to serve our clients during this challenging time despite travel restrictions, government orders, and other challenges that impact traditional ways of doing business.”

Despite what the general public thinks, most law firms are not sitting on a pile of cash. Lawyers need new clients coming in the door to avoid rent, staff payroll, and subscription fees.

The Virus Will hurt not All Lawyers

There are three areas of law that will likely do well during the pandemic. These include bankruptcy lawyers, family lawyers, and civil litigation lawyers.

With the number of businesses that are likely to go under, bankruptcy lawyers will be busy for the next few years sorting out bankruptcy filings.

Further, many of these bankruptcies will be with massive companies with global assets. I can imagine a number of airlines will go under.

Family lawyers will be busy after spouses are forced to spend 24/7 with each other at home. Reports from Chinese media are showing that divorce rates have skyrocketed in China after the quarantine.

Lawyers Will Lose Their Jobs Because Of Virus

Civil litigation lawyers will be busy filing claims for breach of contract. Or they will be on the defence side, claiming force majeure as a defence against the claim. Whoever is found to be liable for the spread of the virus will likely be sued into the ground.

In conclusion, law firm managers need to take the spread of the virus seriously. They need to speak to their accountant and figure out how long they can survive on the cash they have in the bank.

They need to figure out how to use cloud technology and video conferencing. Law firms that can survive will enjoy a less competitive environment once the virus pandemic is over. Lawyers will lose their jobs soon and someone needs to step in and do something.

Lawyers adapted to COVID well.

Author: Alistair Vigier is the CEO of Clearway Law

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How Lawyers Adapted to COVID-19 Restrictions