The COVID-19 or Corona Virus continues to disrupt law firms globally with law firms continuing to take radical measures to control the spread of the virus.
In New York, Quinn Emanuel Urquart & Sullivan kept its offices closed following the positive testing of a partner, while Simmons & Simmons and Latham Watkins both suspended partner conferences.
In London, Reed Smith sent its staff home and Taylor Wessing closed its office after a staff member tested positive.
A spokesperson for Reed Smith said in a statement: ‘With the uncertainty and the rapidly evolving situation around the COVID-19 outbreak, Reed Smith has decided to take additional preventative steps to protect our people, our clients and the firm’s business continuity.’
Taylor Wessing also cancelled its international partner conference which was planned for later this month.
A number of other law firms have also announced measures to respond to the pandemic.
Hogan Lovells is testing large-scale remote working for its UK and US offices to reduce the risk of COVID-19. Half of its US employees worked from home this week.
The transatlantic firm has already got its staff in China, Italy and Spain to work from home as these countries imposed stringent measures to contain the spread of the virus.
But Growing legal demand
But the Corona Virus has seen a surge in demand from commercial clients seeking advice on how to handle the issues stemming from the pandemic.
The Financial Times reported that Lawyers said they were experiencing increases in calls and client queries of 25 per cent or more as a result of legal issues stemming from the outbreak.
“We’re in uncharted territory here,” said Aoife Keane, a disputes partner at Seddons. “As far as I can remember nothing has had the same ramification for business to business contracts and the supply chain.”
Recently on LawFuel
- Former MinterEllisonRuddWatts Counsel Joins Hesketh HenryHesketh Henry has appointed Simon Gray as a partner to lead our banking and… Read more: Former MinterEllisonRuddWatts Counsel Joins Hesketh Henry
- BigLaw Pay – Taylor Wessing’s Top Rainmaker Banks the Legal Equivalent of a Premier League SalaryTaylor Wessing’s highest-earning partner managed to haul in a whopping £200,000 a week in the latest financial year — that’s roughly the same as a Premier League striker on a good bonus season. It highlights just how ludicrous top-end pay has become in London’s legal market. According to Law Society Gazette, the top-paid LLP member at Taylor Wessing managed to net that £200k-a-week haul as profits were dished out across the partnership. That kind of pay packet makes even the notorious Cravath scale seem almost modest. Sure, mid-market firms can cry “but we’re all about work-life balance,” but when your top partner’s annual take amounts to north of £10m, it’s hard not to feel the sting of disparity.
- High Court Upholds £50,000 Legal Ombudsman Payout Against Law FirmThe UK High Court has firmly slammed the brakes on a law firm’s attempt… Read more: High Court Upholds £50,000 Legal Ombudsman Payout Against Law Firm
- California Draws a Line on Legal AI And Lawyers Need to Pay AttentionFor years, lawyers have been quietly experimenting with generative AI while publicly pretending it was all very theoretical. That luxury just expired however has expired as the California passes a first-of-its kind bill that will doubtless be replicated in other jurisdictions. The California Senate has passed SB 574 aimed squarely at how lawyers use artificial intelligence in legal practice. If it becomes law, California will be the first major jurisdiction to formally regulate AI use by lawyers, not with vague principles, but with obligations that cut straight to competence, ethics, and liability. In short: lawyers can use AI, but they own the consequences. And that’s something many will find daunting given the hallucinations and legal repercussions of legal AI’s misuse.
- Brabners’ Eight-Year Growth Streak Powers London Expansion: What Regional Firms Can LearnWhile London’s legal market dominates headlines with US firms driving salary wars and Magic Circle mergers, Brabners’ consistent growth story offers a compelling counter-narrative. The firm’s eight consecutive years of profitable expansion demonstrates that sustainable growth doesn’t require a City postcode—it requires strategic vision, client focus, and calculated expansion timing. And leadership from people like managing partner Nik White (Pictured), who the firm described as the ‘driving force’ behind its growth. At a time when UK law firms collectively generated £37 billion in revenue, with more than half posting double-digit increases, Brabners’ measured approach to London expansion represents a textbook case of regional strength leveraging metropolitan opportunity. Log in to read the rest . .
- New, Aggressive Ransomware Group Attack New Zealand Law FirmA New Zealand law firm is investigating a cyber incident that has seen passport… Read more: New, Aggressive Ransomware Group Attack New Zealand Law Firm
- Fast-Growing Spencer Fane Joined by 16 AttorneysSpencer Fane is pleased to announce that a team of 16 new attorneys –… Read more: Fast-Growing Spencer Fane Joined by 16 Attorneys
- What is the largest personal injury law firm in America?Ben Thomson, LawFuel contributing writer Morgan & Morgan is the law firm that is… Read more: What is the largest personal injury law firm in America?
- How Lobbying Turned Into Big Business for Top Law Firms in 2025Lobbying Law Leaders John Bowie, LawFuel publisher Big Law’s lobbying arms just posted their… Read more: How Lobbying Turned Into Big Business for Top Law Firms in 2025
