In this special edition episode, Andrew covers crisis management and what steps he has taken as the Managing Partner of his Law Firm during this Worldwide Crisis. This is an unprecedented situation that we have not seen in our lifetimes, and the Corona Virus Pandemic has impacted nearly every single person around the world. Andrew will cover crucial steps that he and his firm have taken to prepare for a crisis and pointers to help you, your family, and law firm through this difficult time and future emergencies.
Smiley & Smiley is located in the center of Manhattan, the global epicenter of the Coronavirus Pandemic. At the time of this podcast recording, all of New York City is locked down will all non-essential businesses closed. The roads and subways are nearly empty, once bustling with thousands upon thousands of people are now baron, everyone is at home and under order to only leave for essentials such as food, water, and toiletries. The city is like a ghost town with the areas surrounding the hospitals more like a warzone, surrounded by makeshift morgues and temporary hospital tents.
The week’s leading up to the crisis and shut down of New York City, Andrew took steps to ensure his entire firm and staff had the ability to work remotely, which is the first crucial step to being prepared for a crisis. The ability to work “anywhere” with minimal interruptions. The aide of technology is absolutely crucial to work remotely. Andrew uses the following tools to help him seamlessly transition from an in-person office setting to a remote setting. Andrew also dives into best practices to make sure you, your staff, and firm are presented in the best possible professional light.
- Zoom Video Conferencing - www.zoom.us
- Professional Communications Messaging Service - www.pcmsi.com
- Logmein, Remote Desktop Access - www.logmein.com
Andrew will also dive into the bank and financial services available to you to help keep everything operational and keep staff on board through this incredibly difficult time. The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) has many options to help assist, such as the Paycheck Protection Program and other loans/programs you can leverage. Please visit the visit by clicking here.
Leadership during a crisis is paramount for you, your family, and your staff. As a managing partner, many people’s livelihood and careers are in Andrew’s hands and are potentially in jeopardy if he doesn’t provide the right leadership. Here, Andrew discusses how to put yourself into a position of leadership and some key tips that he has implemented successfully during the Corona Pandemic and other crisis situations.
The podcast closes out with what steps Andrew is taking to ensure he is continuing to move his cases forward and to make sure his clients receive the best legal representation possible in these difficult and uncertain times.
Thanks to the NYS Academy of Trial Lawyers this episode is also available for FREE Continuing Legal Education (CLE) Credit, please click the link here to input the verification code and receive 1 full credit! Also, please take the anonymous evaluation survey by clicking here. We encourage you to consider joining the Academy so that you can access all of their resources (including much more CLE) for FREE.
Please find the downloadable resources here:
1) Embracing Technology in the face of Corona Virus
2) New York State Courts Notice - April 6-2020
3) Paycheck Protection Program Handout
5) PPP Borrower Information Fact Sheet
To contact Andrew, please either call (212) 986-2022, email andrew@thementoresq.com or visit www.smileylaw.com.