CONNECTION
LAST YEAR ’ S ANNUAL REPORT focused on the theme “ Transformation ” – and how we are transforming our firm into one that embraces ongoing technological advancements , enhances the client experience , and confronts modern challenges head-on . At the time , we felt that 2019 was a transformative year – and it was – but the changes we saw in 2019 are a drop in the bucket compared to what we experienced in 2020 .
Our firm is built on relationships and we have always looked forward to engaging with clients and colleagues in person and face-to-face . Then everything changed . Now , instead of a handshake or a hug , we greet each other with a masked smile from six feet apart . Instead of office lunches and happy hours , we rely on technology to stay connected . Instead of working from the office , of our team members were asked to work remote , and it was up to us to ensure that they could do so in a way that was safe and secure .
Making and maintaining “ connections ” has been critical for our firm this year . It ’ s not easy to stay connected while physically apart , which is why we have taken deliberate actions to maintain and strengthen the connections that , in many cases , took years to build .