Thank you to everyone who tuned in to our Virtual Lunch/Town Hall last week. It was our pleasure to provide updates, share the results of our recent Member Survey, answer your questions, and hear your ideas for programs and future events. And it was great to see so many colleagues and friends! For those who were unable to attend, please click here to view the Town Hall on our homepage.
We appreciated your suggestions for programs that cover COVID-19 topics, support solo and small firms, provide social connections, discuss work-from-home tools, and highlight volunteer opportunities. With those topics in mind, we have scheduled a variety of programs to meet your needs, including this Friday’s event, Standing Six Feet Back: Using Self-Distance to Take Professional Risks in the Face of Uncertainty. This presentation, by an SDCBA member who is both a lawyer and a coach, will cover how to use self-distance to address anxiety, describe your professional vision, hold yourself accountable without judgment, and ultimately accomplish your goals. We also have useful law and technology webinars coming up, including tomorrow’s program, Getting Documents e-Signed by Adobe Acrobat or DocuSign, and next Tuesday’s Microsoft Office on the Mac: Productivity Tips.
Speaking of volunteer opportunities, we have evolved our annual Wills For Heroes program, held in partnership with the Wills for Heroes Foundation, from a one-day, in-person event to a six-week virtual event from May 4 – June 30. We also are pleased that the definition of “Hero” has been expanded to include healthcare workers on the COVID-19 frontline, as well as our traditional heroes – police officers, firefighters, correction/probation officers, and paramedics. The Wills for Heroes program offers opportunities for estate planning attorneys to prepare essential documents such as wills and advance health care directives for our local Heroes, who put their lives on the line for all of us every day. If you are an estate planning attorney and you’d like to volunteer your time and services for these Heroes, please click here »
In the past few weeks, the Lawyer Referral & Information Service (LRIS) has created educational videos for the public to view during the COVID-19 crisis. These videos from LRIS pertain to current issues and may answer some of your questions on tenant’s rights; employment law-CARES Act and unemployment; family law including child custody orders, child support, domestic violence, and court services that are currently open; real estate law; bankruptcy, and estate planning. All videos can be viewed on this page.
This Wednesday is Earth Day. Now, more than ever, is a time to appreciate our interconnectedness on this planet and our part in preserving it. In that spirit, I wish you a Happy Earth Day, and continued safety and health. Have a great week.
Johanna Schiavoni
2020 SDCBA President