E D I T O R ’ S M E S S A G E D i n e e n P a s h o u k o s W a s y l i k – D P W L e g a l
WritetheStoryyouWantfor2021
“ newyear — anewchapter , newverse , orjustthesameoldstory ? ultimatelywewriteit . thechoiceisours .” — authoralexmorritt
Has there been a
year in recent memory that was so anticipated on January 1st and yet so reviled by December 31st as 2020 ? Probably not . The year 2000 did not live up to fear of pending computer collapse , but that was a positive , and the result of much hard work to update computer systems to be ready for the changeover . And maybe you didn ’ t party quite as well as Prince sung about in anticipation of 1999 . But 2020 has been a year of particular struggle , individually and collectively , so it ’ s not surprising that there is so much talk about kicking 2020 to the curb and not letting the door hit it on the way out !
There are things from 2020 that I will not miss — with the phrase “ new normal ” topping that list — but now that we have had a few months to adapt to social distancing , mask wearing , and all of the changes to the way we operate that have flowed from that , there are some changes from 2020 that are a net positive for the practice of law .
Probably the biggest positive development is our profession ’ s growing comfort with using video conferencing for court appearances . While the Florida Rules of Judicial Administration have long encouraged the use of telephonic or video conferencing for trials , the reality is that phone and video hearings prepandemic were the exception and not the rule . Instead , all too many routine hearing matters were handled via “ cattle call ” hearings that tied up dozens of attorneys for hours at a time waiting for their few minutes of time
before the court . But requiring all parties to the legal system to adapt to online hearings has led to more special set hearings , less travel time , and the ability to be much more productive at your desk when there is a wait for a hearing . While trials and evidentiary hearing may not be ideal via Zoom , it is my hope that argument-based hearings and scheduling conferences will continue to be via phone or video even as the Courts open up more fully for in-person proceedings .
Many have found positives in reduced or eliminated commuting time , which had made additional time for exercise and family . And being forced to slow down and make more home-cooked meals had led to healthier eating habits for many .
Still , 2021 brings cause for celebration and hope . Frontline workers are already receiving the first doses of the two approved COVID-19 vaccines , which seems a
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