Young Lawyers Through A Global Pandemic: Things They Didn’t Teach You In Law School

Annie Cai Larson, Ra Hee Jeon, Melissa N. Moser, Benjamin Shute 2021-07-24 23:50:32

Four members of the Young Lawyer's Conference share their experiences–personal and professional–of practicing law during a global pandemic. Their perspectives come bearing appreciation for the time with family, a new respect for a work from home enviroment, and a realization that virtual court may be the soltuion to access to justice Virginia has been missing.

When the pandemic and my company's work from home order first hit, all I could think about were the two chocolates that I had in my desk back in the office, and how they would completely melt and become a mess come summertime if the air conditioning was turned off in an empty building. As the weeks turned into months, it became time to tackle the larger issues associated with working from home full time.

And of course: How are my chocolates and has my office turned into a chocolate landslide yet?

As lawyers and professionals, we are trained to be adaptable and to roll with the punches. The pandemic brought out the best in this adaptability, as it forced us to prioritize what really needed to be “in person” or “on paper.” As an in-house litigation attorney, I got to view more oral arguments (no travel required!) and have more “face-to-face” time with my counsel through the technology of video conferencing. While not having a printer was challenging at first, I quickly learned that it was actually a blessing not to have mounds of paper lying around, waiting to be organized. While yes, we all get Zoom fatigue, so it’s nice to have a few meetings here and there using good ol’ phone conferences to give our video faces a break.

As for those chocolates? We’ll have to wait and see what cocoa delights awaits me when our offices open up the day after Labor Day. Fingers crossed!

There she was, finally. My beautiful daughter Irene was greeted by this world on June 26, 2020.

There was I, feeling surreal to meet my daughter face-to-face, and feeling suffocated with a mask covering my mouth and nose during the caesarean section, when I could hardly breath well to begin with.

Words would not suffice to express our condolences for those who lost their families and livelihoods during the COVID pandemic, and we should continue to be sensitive to the reality that the pandemic continues to threaten the lives of so many people all over the world.

Meanwhile, we should not lose our gratitude for everything that enabled us to endure through the pandemic, including the fact that the legal profession quickly adapted to the sudden changes through remote working software at workplaces and remote hearing capacities at courthouses.

As a mother of a new-born, I was blessed to have such technologies available to me, because I could connect to different locations from a single home office. I could have Zoom conference meetings with my immigration clients overseas. I successfully represented my family law clients through remote court hearings. Most importantly, without a drive-back home, I could now walk into the next room for mommy-baby bonding time. While technology is not perfect, I believe a positive use of technology can continue to allow us to assist more people, regardless of their locations, and to serve our communities in diverse, innovative ways.

The pandemic time has not been easy. It is still not easy. But we will see light through it—hand in hand.

As the co-chair of the VSB YLC Wills for Heroes program, a handful of events we had planned were put on hold due to COVID-19. We pivoted and revised the program to offer it virtually to the healthcare heroes on the frontline of the pandemic. The virtual aspect allowed the participants and volunteers to coordinate the services at a mutually convenient time via video conferencing.

Because the pro bono estate planning services we offer through Wills for Heroes are relatively basic and do not allow for individualized drafting, the program is most often used by first responders who have not accumulated a lot of wealth. To my surprise, many of the healthcare heroes who participated in the virtual Wills for Heroes event were doctors. I discovered that there is a whole segment of our population who can afford estate planning and who need estate planning, but have not been prioritizing estate planning, in part due to the inconvenience of taking time off work to visit an attorney’s office.

I had a long-term goal of having my own law practice, and I was happy with the progress I was making toward that goal, but this was a “Eureka” moment for me. I was already working from home in a self-sufficient office, and there was a need in my area of law that was not being met. Even though this was much sooner than I had forecasted, and it seemed precarious to do amid a global pandemic, I established Moser Law and became a solo practitioner.

Moser Law is a modern estate planning practice. One of its core values is client-centricity, which entails focusing on making the process as easy as possible for the client—the importance of which I learned from the virtual Wills for Heroes program. I always give my clients the option to meet virtually or in person, and most of my meetings are virtual. I am now a year into Moser Law, and this model has worked well for me and my clients. Even after the pandemic is over, the virtual offering component of serving my clients is here to stay.

For me, the silver lining of the pandemic was that it gave me the inspiration and the push to scrap my goal timeline and take the plunge to establish my own practice. I have never felt more fulfilled in my professional career, and for that I am thankful.

COVID-19 has imposed an enormous tragedy on the people of our Commonwealth and all those who have lost loved ones during the pandemic. When remembering this pivotal moment in history, we should always begin with thoughts that honor their memory. Yet when we collect ourselves and commit to moving forward as a community, and as members of the Bar, we should all be immeasurably proud of the steps we have taken to ensure that a just and equitable legal system continues to flourish in Virginia.

As an Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney, I have had the privilege of witnessing firsthand how our justice system has risen to meet these modern challenges. From implementing video conferencing for preliminary hearings, to socially distant and masked jury trials, to prioritizing vaccinations for incarcerated persons, all these changes have taken the collective efforts of the Bar to ensure due process is afforded to those defendants and victims who find themselves navigating through our penal system.

We have not been perfect. We have made mistakes. There have been moments where we could only ask ourselves whether we have done enough. But when we look back on this time, and the practice of law throughout the pandemic, we should take a moment to appreciate the hard work, the patience, and the fortitude of our legal community. It has been an honor to work with such dedicated, thoughtful, and resilient lawyers to ensure that justice continues to move forward.