Law Society of YukonDear Members
The Society is carefully monitoring the Coronavirus (COVID-19) public health risk and is committed to supporting members and providing updates on how we will continue to fulfill our mandate during this time.
Law Society of Yukon Office
The Society office remains open at this time. However, staff will be working remotely when possible and our response times may be slower than usual. We appreciate your patience.
To align with advice to practice social distancing to help reduce the spread of COVID -19, we ask that you contact us via phone at 867-668-4231 or alternatively by email at info@lawsocietyyukon.com.
The Society is cancelling all in-person meetings and will use teleconferencing as an alternative for the time being.
Up-coming events
The Society will evaluate and make a decision in April on whether the upcoming Safe and Effective Practices CPD scheduled for May 7, 2020 will proceed or be postponed. If cancelled, those who have registered will be reimbursed.
Executive Elections for the Society are currently scheduled for Wednesday, May 27, 2020 and the Annual General Meeting is set for Thursday, May 28, 2020. The Society will re-assess in early May whether the AGM will proceed as scheduled. However, it is expected at this time that the Executive elections will proceed as ballots will be circulated and returned via email/mail and do not require an in-person meeting.
How can you protect yourself?
It is recommended that you take steps to protect your health and the health of those around you in the workplace. This includes working remotely where possible and practicing social distancing. For more information on precautions and how to protect yourself, we refer you to the Canada Public Health website at https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/diseases/2019-novel-coronavirus-infection/prevention-risks.html.
How can you prepare and protect your firm/organization?
Members should have in place contingency plans in the event they are required to self-isolate or become ill and are unable to carry on practicing for a period of time.
Preparing for a public health event should be part of your business continuity planning. Having a plan will save valuable time and resources later. Some simple tips to consider include:
- Increase work area hygiene by cleaning door handles, desks, phones, etc. daily
- Suspend conventional business etiquette such as hand shaking
- Limit in-person meetings by leveraging technology
- Notify clients and customers if work hours or your operations change
- Keep your voicemail, website and/or social media updated regarding changes to your operations
- Review sick leave benefits and discuss with your staff in case self-quarantine is required
Some helpful resources from the Law Society of Alberta on contingency planning are available at the following links:
- Disaster Planning and Recovery: https://www.lawsociety.ab.ca/resource-centre/disaster-planning-and-recovery/
- When Bad Things Happen to Good Lawyers: Contingency Planning Guide: https://dvbat5idxh7ib.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/22203930/When-Bad-Things-Happen-to-Good-Lawyers.pdf
Guidance for Lawyers
During this period of disruption, the Society expects members to continue to conduct themselves with courtesy and good faith in their dealings with others in accordance with Rule 7.2-1 of the Model Code of Conduct. Members should agree to reasonable requests during this unprecedented time concerning trial dates, adjournments, the waiver of procedural formalities and similar matters that do not prejudice the rights of clients.
We refer you to the following links for information regarding measures being taken by the Supreme Court of Yukon and Territorial Court of Yukon in light of the COVID-19:
https://lawsocietyyukon.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/SC-Notice-Covid-19.pdf
In addition, the Chief Justice of Canada has posted a message on the CJC’s website providing a consolidated list of all relevant COVID-19 notices issued by courts across the country which can be found at the following link:
https://cjc-ccm.ca/fr/nouvelles/message-du-juge-en-chef-du-canada
If you are experiencing concern and/or anxiety regard the spread and/or impact of COVID-19 we encourage you to use the services provided by the Lawyers Assistance Program. Information is available at https://lawsocietyyukon.com/for-the-lawyer/lawyer-assistance-program/.
We appreciate that not all law firms have the same level of support available to them during this time. We are here to support you in your practice. If you have a specific question about how to comply with your professional obligations or how to navigate practice management issues in the context of COVID-19, please contact our office. We will respond to inquires by email or telephone as soon as possible.