SDG & COVID-19
Dear Clients, Partners and Friends,
The current situation and unprecedented changes appear to be happening each hour, each day. We wanted to let all of our clients and partners know that we will remain available throughout this changing situation with COVID-19, or coronavirus.
Even before COVID-19 concerns arose, SDG has been, and remains, prepared to deal with legal issues in light of the various restrictions that may be placed on law firms over time. Both attorneys and staff have the capability of operating remotely with secure access to files and office voicemails.
Additionally, we are moving to keep all direct contact between our clients and office to a minimum, and would ask all clients, to the extent they would like to make contact, to do so by email, telephone or fax.
With everything changing so rapidly, we also want to provide everyone with some information as to how the practice of law is being affected, and the courts in particular. The New York State Court System has already modified its guidance twice. The first on March 13, 2020, superseded by updated protocols that were issued on March 15, 2020. A link to that specific guidance can be found here:
https://www.nycourts.gov/whatsnew/pdf/Updated-Protocol-AttachmentA3.pdf
According to the March 15, 2020 memorandum, the court system went from seeking to reduce courthouse traffic, to beginning March 16, 2020, postponing all nonessential functions of the courts until further notice. In addition to only engaging in essential functions, multiple courts (Supreme, Family, Surrogates, etc.) within a given jurisdiction are being condensed into a specific designated location for emergency proceedings. Essential functions are also specifically defined within the memorandum, and do not include conferences or basic motion practice.
As a result of these changes, we have already been contacted by several courts about conferences being adjourned without date.
To the extent you wish to obtain any additional information about coronavirus in the New York State courts, we suggest you go to the following website:
https://www.nycourts.gov/whatsnew/covid.shtml
We thank you for your continued confidence in allowing us to assist you with your various legal matters.
New York State Executive Orders
As with the court system, New York State has also been impacting daily life and certain practices, through executive order, as the crisis intensifies. For review of those specific orders, please see this website:
https://www.governor.ny.gov/executive-orders
Executive Order 202.1 directly impacts all businesses in New York State. It indicates that "Any place of business or public accommodation, and any gathering or event for which attendance is anticipated to be fewer than 500 people, shall operate at no greater than 50% occupancy, and no greater than 50% of seating capacity, for 30 days effective March 13, 2020..."
CDC Guidelines
Finally, please take the opportunity to review Cheney federal guidelines on dealing with coronavirus, At the link below:
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html