In my four decades of practicing law here in South Carolina, I have seen LOTS of changes take place within the legal profession. That being said, the impact that COVID-19 made on the practice of law in just a short amount of time is absolutely unprecedented. Within a matter of days, phone and video conferences replaced in-person client meetings, Zoom depositions became the new normal, and court appearances transitioned from the courtroom to Webex. Jury trials, which are the very heart of our justice system, had to be postponed indefinitely.
Although we still have a long way to go, for the time being, COVID transmission rates seem to be declining, and my life as a lawyer is slowly becoming a bit more normal. I am finally getting to meet with clients again, and over the past two weeks, I’ve had two in-person court hearings—all, of course, while practicing social distancing and wearing a mask! South Carolina has even begun to resume jury trials in some areas, with the state’s first jury trial since April taking place in Laurens County earlier this month.
Nevertheless, the overwhelming majority of legal work is still being conducted by telephone, email, or virtual meetings, and I suspect that, even when a vaccine becomes available, the way we go about our daily activities—in the legal profession and otherwise—will be forever changed by COVID-19. I pray that we can put my theory to the test sooner rather than later, but until then, may we continue to adapt, stay safe, and carry on!
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