use the Lessons froM the panDeMic to iMproVe Your practice
Solo & Small Firm Section Chair : Matthew Crist – Crist Legal | PA & Gian-Franco Melendez , Law Office of Gian-Franco Melendez , LLC
can we take the adversity of this experience , take what we learned , and use it to improve our practices ?
The COVID-19 pandemic changed everything . For months , we didn ’ t get together with our colleagues at Bar functions , we didn ’ t travel , we didn ’ t take our kids to school , we didn ’ t watch live sports , and we didn ’ t see our loved ones . Hopefully , what we all went through will soon be behind us as vaccines get more widely distributed .
I can ’ t help but be optimistic though . Can we take the adversity of this experience , take what we learned , and use it to improve our practices ? I think so .
Ask yourself , what are you doing differently in your practice because of the pandemic ? Have those things improved how your firm operates ? If so — keep doing it . Let ’ s focus on working remotely and videoconferencing technology .
Working Remotely For many , the pandemic stopped us and our staff from going to the office every day and forced us to implement a remote working environment and invest in the technology to do it right . Are there benefits to working from home ? Did you learn anything by having your staff work remotely ? Calculate your own and your staff ’ s productivity and performance while working remotely and inventory any intangible benefits . If you are comfortable with it and your employees want to work from home , give them that option , even if only a few days per week . Providing your employees with more flexibility and allowing them to avoid the daily commute will make them happier and more excited about their jobs . If you decide to work remotely or have your staff do it , be sure to consult with an information technology company to make sure your set-up is safe and secure . Also , you will want to set up a system to track employee performance to maintain accountability .
Videoconferencing Technology
The pandemic introduced a lot of us to Zoom and similar technology . While nothing can replace in-person contact , these platforms will be around for much longer than the pandemic . Litigators should expect that remote depositions , hearings , and mediations will be the norm . Because videoconferencing is not going anywhere , learn more about it and take full advantage of what these platforms can offer . Instead of a telephone call or sending your client an email , schedule a Zoom meeting . It will likely be more productive for you and more enjoyable for your client . You should consider investing in the best tools to improve your video presentations like a quality camera , an external microphone , and lighting to reduce glare and shadows .
When working remotely and videoconferencing are done right , they can give you maximum flexibility while keeping your firm profitable . If you ’ ve ever dreamed of spending the summer in an exotic location but can ’ t take tear yourself away from the office , now you can !
2020 was rough on all of us . But hopefully we can take the things we did out of necessity and use them to improve our lives and our firms . n
Author : Matthew Crist – Crist Legal | PA
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M A R - A P R 2 0 2 1 | H C B A L A W Y E R
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