CHARLESTON – As soon as he realized the Coronavirus could have an impact on how his firm functioned, Charleston attorney Troy Giatras put a plan into action.
“On Monday, March 9, I was in Morgantown,” said Giatras, owner of The Giatras Law Firm. “That’s when it first started to be talked about possibly being so big."
That was four days before schools across West Virginia closed, and two weeks before Gov. Jim Justice issued the stay at home order for the state.
“The next day, March 10, I ordered webcams," Giatras said. "Then, I started designing ways for my staff to work remotely. Fortunately, most of them are tech savvy, and it wasn’t a big adjustment.”
The firm has a staff of nine, including himself and two other attorneys. Giatras said he asked everyone to inventory what they needed.
“A few days later, I signed us up for Zoom, Skype and a conference call system,” Giatras said. “We already were doing a lot of remote stuff, but we have made the process better.
“We have ways to allow clients to sign documents and fill out documents remotely, even from their phones, so they do not have to come into the office. The phone is still ringing. We still are signing up new clients. We’re even using FaceTime and Google Hangouts for quick meetings with clients.
“We are seeing new clients, but we have seen a block in advancing existing cases. But, some cases that are on the cusp of being resolved or settled, they’re going to get there.”
Giatras said outside access to his firm’s office has been restricted to clients. And, like with all firms, Giatras said there has been less business. But, he said he feels fortunate to have remained open the entire time. The firm handles personal injury and criminal defense, and Giatras said he and his staff are working as hard as they can.
“It’s not perfect, but we’re getting a lot done,” he said. “We’re still open, and everyone who is in the office is spread out. We are bringing in lunch. My wife sometimes makes lunch and brings it in for anybody who wants it. And, we’re also order some stuff in from time to time.
“Inside the office, we have disinfectants, masks, gloves, that type of stuff. Whatever is needed. Anyone on the staff who feels uncomfortable can work from home. That’s a personal decision. As a law firm, we are considered an essential business. But if someone feels more conformable, that’s fine. We’re doing anything we can to help and support our staff. We are doing our best to keep our employees safe.
“Workwise, we are getting stuff done that we might not normally be able to do.”
Giatras said he has concerns about the impact and lasting effects this will bring.
“Is conducting hearings remotely perfect? No,” he said. “I also worry about relaxing of rules for the short term. It can be a slippery slope. Where does it stop?”
Still, Giatras said he chooses to remain an optimist about how things will turn out when the pandemic is over.
“I think it will all be good in the end,” he said. “The good always rises. The sun will come up tomorrow. I’m optimistic.”
He also said he thinks this unusual situation could be advantageous to small law firms.
“As bad as this is, it allows you to compete with everybody else,” Giatras said. “This is a game-changer. The real small practitioners can have another rebirth, similar to how electronic filing changed federal courts. It separated people who could and could not compete.”
He also said these temporary changes could turn into permanent ones.
“I think there is going to be a huge jump from what we did by video to what will be doing by video after this is all over,” Giatras said. “The whole cloud-based and web-based realm. I think it will become the norm.”
He said he hopes things get back to normal – or a new normal – soon.
“I don’t want to move cases, but I know it’s going to happen,” Giatras said. “But, another way to look at it is this. A two-week pause isn’t going to make anyone change their litigation strategy. But looking down the line, every trial has been pushed back. Defendants don’t like it, and plaintiffs don’t like it. Courts probably don’t like it, but it doesn’t change things as much for them because their calendars are always going to be fully anyway.
“There might be more arbitration and settlements. Defendants might be more willing to settle. And some plaintiffs, say a small business, might be more willing to settle as well. It’s even more important to make sure you know your case so you can make the proper decisions.”
And now, Giatras wants to help other attorneys, law firms and even other businesses figure out the best way for them to adopt and adapt technology for their practices.
He is planning a webinar for members of the bar and the public to discuss how his firm prepared for the pandemic. He said he’ll discuss items and services to buy and use.
He said he’s still working out details and will announce more concrete plans for the webinar when it’s available.
