Staying On Top Of Work During COVID-19
By: Sydney Richter
COVID-19 has completely changed the fabric of the corporate world, and especially in the legal industry. With everything moving online, it is crucial to implement a digital strategy to stay on top of the increase in legal needs.
With stay-at-home orders and restrictions, legal matters are increasingly becoming more complicated. In a research study done by CLIO, a large percentage of respondents reported expecting to need a lawyer in the near future. 22% of these respondents said their need was expected to be COVID-19 related, which has increased since last month.
It is important to note that the number of people who reported putting off their legal problems during the pandemic has also increased slightly since April. For family law, this trend is especially apparent. Increase your digital presence to reach people who may be in need.
Make sure to stay on top of this increase in work by implementing a digital document strategy. Now that that life has become digital, it is crucial now more than ever to stay tech-savvy. Whether this is through electronic document scanning, zoom conferences, or online payments, make sure you are ready for everything to be online. Giving people the ability to pay online for child support or participate in conferences by phone will help immensely, since these things were not allowed before. We are here to help you navigate your transition online.
Family Law
Domestic relations clients are increasingly seeking guidance through these times. The added uncertainty of the pandemic means that divorce and family lawyers will see more work. As work increases, electronic billing software and strategy will be your best friend. Having this under control will free up time to concentrate on helping clients.
Divorce lawyers are seeing an increase in separation and divorce cases during this time, for various reasons. The financial stresses related to job loss have led to more marital and child custody issues. Being locked in the house together may force couples to deal with problems they’ve been avoiding.
Child Custody
Child custody has become much more complicated with the restrictions of the pandemic. Travelling is limited, and concerns related to commitments to social distancing may become apparent.
Due to massive job loss, law firms will likely receive more inquiries regarding child support modifications. Times like these impact health insurance coverage and payment disputes. Additionally, stimulus payments are creating conflicts among parents.
Child support issues are exacerbated during a pandemic, as well as the questions surrounding it. As a result, family lawyers are seeing a large surge in child support matters.
Be Prepared
It is important to understand these changes are temporary. Family law will experience the fallout from COVID-19 for years to come as couples are forced to address complicated issues.