Resources about risk management, working remotely, and emergency planning are available from the Practice Management Resource Center.
Questions & Answers
Have any State Bar of Michigan services been disrupted by the coronavirus?
The State Bar of Michigan continues to offer all services as usual, and we have contingency plans prepared so our staff can work remotely if needed. We don’t anticipate any major disruptions to the services we provide, but we’ll notify lawyers and the public promptly if changes are necessary.
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer declared a state of emergency after Michigan’s first two cases of coronavirus were confirmed March 10. The State Bar of Michigan is committed to the safety of its visitors and employees and we have instituted some new policies at our building. Lawyers and members of the public from all over the state visit our building and we want to do our part to help prevent a potential outbreak of COVID-19.
- We have instituted extraordinary cleaning and disinfecting measures at our building
- We have posted hand sanitizer stations, handwashing reminders, and disinfectant wipes strategically throughout the building
- We are requiring all guests to register at the front desk and provide contact information
Can I still hold a meeting at the State Bar of Michigan building?
The State Bar of Michigan building remains available for lawyers who wish to use it for meetings. We will promptly notify any participants scheduled to attend a meeting at the State Bar building if this changes. If your group has not already given SBM an email address, please do so now by emailing [email protected].
Lawyers, sections, and committees are encouraged to offer dial-in numbers or a video conferencing option such as Zoom for people who would prefer to attend meetings remotely.
If necessary, the State Bar building will be closed to the public under the following circumstances:
- Government buildings are closed in Lansing
- The Michigan Supreme Court advises we close our building
- An SBM employee or visitor tests positive for COVID-19
- An SBM employee or visitor is advised by a physician or a public health official to self-quarantine due to exposure
We’re asking every visitor to the State Bar building to use hand sanitizer and sign in at the front desk. Our measures will not be effective without your help. Please advise everyone scheduled to attend your meeting to stay home if they are not feeling well. Please discourage handshaking and encourage attendees to use the wipes and hand sanitizers available in the building.
If you have held a meeting in the State Bar building within the last 21 days and are aware that a participant has tested positive or been advised to self-quarantine, please notify us immediately.
Read the full message we sent to lawyers about the use of our building here.
What about the courts?
The latest updates from the Judicial Branch can be found here. You should check with individual courthouses before visiting. This map includes contact information for courts statewide.
The Michigan Supreme Court has made several recommendations to trial courts to help prevent the spread of COVID-19, which you can read about here.
Information about electronically filing court documents can be found here.
Will the July bar exam be held as usual?
The Board of Law Examiners, which oversees the investigation and examination of State Bar of Michigan applicants, plans to administer the July 2020 bar exam as usual (as of March 9), and says it will have a contingency plan if needed.
How should my firm prepare for a potential outbreak in my community?
The American Bar Association offers disaster guidance for legal professionals, much of which could be applied during an outbreak or pandemic. The ABA offers a preparedness checklist, including questions that attorneys should be able to answer, such as:
- Can you access critical client records remotely?
- Have you prioritized your firm’s functions by criticality?
- Do you have a “go kit” of office items you would need if you could not access your primary office?
Employers should also revisit their emergency preparedness plans and be ready to respond to varying levels of severity were an outbreak to occur. The CDC advises employers to prepare for the possibility of:
- Widespread absenteeism, especially if employees need to care for sick family members
- Many, or all, employees needing to work remotely
- The need to suspend some business operations
What special legal needs might the public have during an outbreak?
Attorneys would face unique concerns during a severe outbreak as they would need to work to ensure that the rule of law is respected and protected. Attorneys should be prepared to work with clients whose employers’ emergency policies aren’t consistent with existing workplace laws.
Scammers are using the worldwide focus on the spread of COVID-19 as an invitation to lure unsuspecting consumers. The U.S Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, a branch of the Department of Homeland Security, warns individuals to be aware of potential scams related to the coronavirus. This includes emails containing malicious attachments and/or links to fraudulent websites that could result in theft of sensitive personal data or donations to non-existent charities or causes.
A recent report in American Banker magazine cited a malware scam that simulates the popular web-based COVID-19 dashboard maintained by Johns Hopkins University’s Center for Systems Science and Engineering. Instead, an email claiming to provide an up-to-date coronavirus map actually includes a graphic that looks like the Johns Hopkins map but contains an embedded program that can steal usernames, passwords, credit-card numbers, and other data stored in the user’s browser.
Read more about scams affecting lawyers in Michigan here.
What precautions can I take now to help prevent an outbreak?
The top three Center for Disease Control and World Health Organization preventive recommendations are:
- Encouraging sick employees to stay home
- Reminding all employees to wash their hands or use hand sanitizer often
- Regularly cleaning all office surfaces that are frequently touched
