Coping With A Pandemic: ABA President Judy Perry Martinez

 
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Law360 (April 6, 2020, 12:01 PM EDT) --
Judy Perry Martinez
Judy Perry Martinez
With self-isolation and social distancing now the norm during the COVID-19 pandemic, Law360 is sharing reactions from around the business and legal community.

Today's perspective comes from New Orleans-based Judy Perry Martinez, of counsel at Simon Peragine Smith & Redfearn LLP and president of the American Bar Association.

What challenges has the pandemic created in your specific area of work?

The legal system, at its most fundamental level, is about access to justice. The pandemic has had a profound effect on the practice of law and on access to justice. When courthouses cannot open their doors, lawyers cannot serve their clients. When jails are not safe from a virulent disease, then justice is denied.

Even during health emergencies, procedural issues such as habeas corpus proceedings, warrants, protective orders and other legal actions that cannot be delayed need to be handled. These challenges have forced lawyers and judges to fully explore how new technologies can help drive these functions while keeping people safe from illness. And, as lawyers are working to assist clients, they are still struggling with their own operations, vacating offices, and managing employees' safety, as well as their own and their families' health.

In my role as American Bar Association president, I see on an hourly basis the effects of the pandemic. Of course, I have cancelled all of my travel and public speaking engagements. I have adapted to working from home, using readily available tools that enable conference calls, webinars and other digital technologies to conduct the business of the association.

The ABA has been busier than ever — focusing our attention on keeping our employees safe, helping lawyers cope with the changes, speaking to emerging policy issues and addressing the legal needs of the public.

How are you and your family adapting at home?

I live in New Orleans, which has been particularly hard hit by the coronavirus. I am hunkered down at home with my husband Rene. Amid the many hours spent on ABA business via email, conference calls and Zoom meetings, we are managing to take a walk each evening, which brings a moment to pause to think about how fortunate we are in so many ways. I also walk alone early each morning. It is often at times like these that we come to appreciate all around us.

There are many at this moment in our country and around the world who cannot take walks, who are suffering, whether physically as a result of themselves or a loved one being struck by the virus, losing a job and not knowing where they will next turn, being homeless or in detention — particularly vulnerable to falling to the virus or spreading it to others.

I try to think of these people every day, as well as our colleagues having to adjust to a totally new way of practice or delivery of legal services, sometimes coping with the stress of a perceived loss of identity and routine, juggling a toddler while they are on a Zoom meeting, creating lessons and activities for school-aged children or caring for an elder parent — or not being able to see them at all. We are constantly trying to develop ways that the ABA can help these people cope a little bit better.

We must understand that the burdens are great on many, that kindness is a salve, and that hope lifts. Resilience is accepting our new reality and I would suggest embracing it, even if it is somewhat temporary, as I believe it will lead us and our justice system down a new path that positions us better to serve our clients and the public.

What is the most creative or productive response to the crisis you've witnessed so far?

The ABA created a Task Force on Legal Needs Arising Out of the 2020 Pandemic, which is designed to tap the creativity of legal experts in disaster response, health law, insurance, and legal needs of families to protect basic human needs, medical and employment benefits, small business challenges, criminal justice, civil rights and social justice.

The task force launched a website containing valuable information such as practice tools for remote work, updates on new benefits provided in the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act, protections against evictions and other actions due to job losses, court closings and mobilization of pro bono efforts.

With meetings canceled, the ABA has moved its meetings to webinars. Free pandemic response webinars are being rapidly produced to help all lawyers navigate these difficult times. New content CLEs free for members are being deployed daily. As legal needs continue to evolve, the ABA will be at the forefront of convening groups and mobilizing pro bono efforts to address those needs.

Law firms have created pandemic task forces with lawyers from multiple practice areas to deal with the influx of questions that arise from these unusual and unprecedented circumstances. They have also stepped up, volunteering pro bono to help people and small businesses navigate the new benefits available and even organize shipments of much-needed medical supplies for hospitals. Courts are conducting their proceedings remotely and judges, court personnel and lawyers are stepping up, retooling and embracing technology.
 

The opinions expressed are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the organization, its clients, or Portfolio Media Inc., or any of its or their respective affiliates. This article is for general information purposes and is not intended to be and should not be taken as legal advice.

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