Lockdown Legal Services

Rent as an expense for companies in administration during lockdown YANG: When victims of domestic violence come to us, it`s several steps away. The clinic has a partnership with Brigham and Women`s Hospital`s Passageway Program, which provides services directly to clients experiencing domestic violence, including safety planning. I understand that they are facing an increasing number of clients asking for their help. Those who had to apply for injunctions and resolve issues through probate and family courts were referred to us to the extent that we had access to the courts. Due to court closures, we provided an increased level of advice and clarification on the law governing when clients could take legal action. This view, offered by a general counsel of a tech company, seems to be shared by many in the UK legal sector. But as the industry prepares for at least a partial return to office work in the coming months, senior and junior lawyers believe the pandemic-related lockdown may have inadvertently contributed to improving the quality of management offered. In addition, LSC requires detailed case reports and other service reports. All CARES funding is subject to full oversight by LSC, including annual audits by independent public accountants, oversight by the Office of Compliance and Enforcement and the Office of Program Performance, and review by the LSC Office of the Inspector General. LSC`s administration of CARES funding builds on LSC`s 45 years of experience administering legal aid grants with congressional funding, including administering $31 million in additional funds earmarked for disaster relief grants since 2013.

YANG: In 2021, the United Nations released the report “Measuring the Shadow Pandemic: Violence against Women During COVID-19”. Since the pandemic, violence against women has reached unprecedented levels. The American Journal of Emergency Medicine said domestic violence cases have increased by 25 to 33 percent worldwide. The National Commission on COVID-19 and Criminal Justice shows an increase of just over 8% in the U.S. after lockdown orders were imposed in 2020. I don`t have anything more specific to Massachusetts, but there`s no reason to think we`re any different from others. Domestic violence is widespread everywhere. In general, our non-lawyer clients have probably only had to deal with a few legal issues in their lives. You`ve probably dealt with more than that this week. If you don`t have something in writing, it`s assumed that your customer remembers it more clearly than you do.

If a customer gives you verbal instructions, send them an email confirming those instructions. Legal practice is complex and difficult enough at best, let alone during a pandemic. Stress, frustrations and fears are likely to be at an all-time high. Make sure these emotions don`t fuel your interactions with other lawyers. Don`t argue unnecessarily. Be accommodating and kind as we all navigate the new challenges of our legal practice. Do not insist on delivering materials by mail if email delivery works well. If you say something you regret, sincerely apologize! The Ateneo Human Rights Center project is one of five case studies highlighted in the guide, providing concrete examples of how organizations have created effective remote legal services programs. The case studies discuss the logistical arrangements as well as the impact of the programme with important lessons and insights. Last year, as the COVID-19 crisis spread globally and many countries went into lockdown, legal service providers had to make critical decisions about how to serve their clients and communities safely. Recent research by The Pathfinders, a group that advances the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, has found that “the pandemic is widening the justice gap, with the problems many people face increasing dramatically and the capacity of judicial actors to respond to them diminishing.” Exercising justice during a global pandemic is not an easy task.

In many jurisdictions, the courts have ceased their regular activities, paralyzing all but the most urgent disputes. Most of us have had to switch to a digital-only practice – a prospect that was previously either a pipe dream or a nightmare, depending on which lawyer you asked. Days are now spent meeting colleagues and clients via screens, signing documents electronically and accessing files via the cloud. Many of us navigate this new professional reality while caring for children, living in cramped neighborhoods and dealing with financial insecurity. The challenges we face are real, but there are concrete steps we can take to stay organized and mitigate the “noise” around us. Here are seven tips for managing (and even enjoying) your legal practice during this new normal. “We are grateful that Congress has recognized that COVID-19 will significantly increase the civil rights needs of low-income Americans, and that legal assistance can make a significant difference in meeting those needs,” said LSC President Ronald S. Flagg. Guidelines on the regulation of children during coronavirus lockdown GAZETTE: How has the pandemic affected the services of the HLS Family Law and Domestic Violence Clinic? There is no doubt that the COVID-19 pandemic has significantly exacerbated inequalities between and within countries around the world. Commentators have described the pandemic as an “economic wreck ball with intergenerational consequences” and exposed existing injustices. This guide will support legal practitioners by providing the best tools available to close the justice gap and ensure vulnerable individuals and communities know how to protect their rights and access remedies. The bottom line: Don`t burn bridges during quarantine.

After all, you`ll have to face your legal colleagues in person. For more information on all the legal aspects relating to your professional or personal situation at the moment, do not hesitate to contact us on 0333 400 44 99. The biggest hurdle was the bureaucratic aspects of appearing before a judge. Minimizing this delay is now a much more important part of our advocacy. We also need more lawyers and pro bono lawyers who understand that people who find themselves in situations of domestic violence experience trauma. One of the best ways to support victims of domestic violence is through trauma-informed advocacy, which is another way to holistically support a client in a difficult situation. As the COVID-19 pandemic swept across the United States, many states initially adopted rent moratoriums or ended lawsuits in eviction cases. A national moratorium on forced evictions expired on 24 June and a second expires at the end of August. As more of these measures are lifted, experts predict that judicial systems will see an overwhelming number of deportation cases. LSC calculated that it would cost its fellows $2,567,000,000 to meet the legal needs of low-income Americans facing deportation. Our team has worked hard to provide you with the latest legal updates on how your business or personal situation may be affected. Will you become counsel during the lockdown? It`s not as crazy as it sounds In response to the growing legal needs of Americans stemming from the coronavirus (COVID-19), the American Bar Association has created a national task force of volunteer lawyers and judges from across the legal profession.

The Task Force will identify legal needs arising from the pandemic, make recommendations to address those needs, and help mobilize volunteer lawyers and lawyers to assist those in need of assistance. In response to these growing challenges, the Justice Initiative, DLA Piper`s global pro bono initiative, New Perimeter, and the Legal Empowerment Network have released a new guide for legal service providers who have been forced to adapt their ways of working since the beginning of the pandemic. Providing Legal Services Remotely: A Guide to Available Technologies and Best Practices is a handy resource for civil law service providers around the world, especially in rural areas where face-to-face meetings were often difficult even before the COVID-19 crisis. In the CARES Act, Congress provided the Legal Services Corporation (LSC) with an additional $50 million in funding for legal assistance measures “to prevent, prepare for, and respond to the coronavirus at home or abroad.” As of April 20, 2020, LSC had awarded and distributed $49.5 million (99%) to recipients who already provide legal aid through LSC grants. The remaining $500,000 will be used to cover management and supervision costs. LSC provided fellows with guidelines for the quarterly reports required. Technology and innovative service delivery models are key to closing this gap. For example, the Ateneo Human Rights Center in Manila, Philippines, launched a free online legal aid program last March that allows users to ask questions on their Facebook page.

Law students and supervising lawyers would review and prioritize responses based on sensitive issues and make external recommendations as required. Since then, the project has helped hundreds of people get free legal aid. Throughout the summer, we offer free legal clinics to advise you on initial professional or personal issues. To learn more, click here. These articles provide the latest legal advice during the coronavirus pandemic. Cognitive Law`s commercial and private team brings a wealth of experience advising companies and individuals in crisis situations. We provide in-depth legal advice on a range of issues currently affected by the current coronavirus outbreak. You can be sure that our advice is honest, sensitive and professional in an unprecedented situation.