By Brendan J. King and Linda T. Cammuso, EPLO Partners
As members of the small business community and estate planning professionals, we have been distressed and saddened to watch the debilitating health and economic impact of the pandemic unfold. Unfortunately, we have seen many local businesses, law firms among them, close and/or drastically change the way business is conducted throughout the pandemic and even beyond.
Our approach to COVID-19 is multi-faceted. As an essential business, we made the decision to remain open and fully operational to handle the estate planning and related needs of our clients. Expanded remote meetings were implemented early in March, and have proven to be a safe and convenient way to continue servicing our clients.
With all our staff engaged in the operations of the practice and additional hires since the pandemic, here is how we continue to accommodate client needs, without disruption, today:
- We remain fully operational during business hours.
- Clients who prefer to meet at our office may do so and be comfortable knowing that we are compliant with state guidelines regarding safety, sanitation and social distancing.
- We are well-versed in providing remote services for those of you who prefer video conferencing, emails, phone meetings, etc.
- We have the capacity to work with your professional advisors to ensure all bases are covered in getting your estate plan completed.
- For clients who are unable to attend in-person signing meetings, whether because of distance or personal safety concerns, a new (and temporary) law in Massachusetts allows documents to be witnessed and notarized remotely via a recorded video conference.
We’ve heard and experienced firsthand people’s concerns about the uncertainty that the pandemic has brought to their lives. Each situation is unique, but everyone feels the same urgency to ensure that the needs of themselves and their loved ones will be met in the event of incapacity, illness or death. We stand ready to help you as well. Whether you need an estate plan or want to review and/or update your current planning documents, please contact us at 508 751-5010 or use the Request a Free Consultation form on this page.
From the beginning, we did not let the pandemic define us; rather, our goal has been to ensure no disruption to the steadfast, convenient, and quality service clients have come to expect from EPLO attorneys and staff.