Lesley Gordon reminds those thinking of separation and divorce that the BTO Family Law team continue to work remotely and have everything in place to assist clients even during lockdown.
After what was already a very different (and in many cases difficult) Christmas and New Year for most, the First Minister further tightened restrictions in Scotland at the beginning of this week as the numbers of Covid-19 cases continued to rise.
We, therefore, go into the New Year with schools closed, all but the essential shops shut and most people working from home.
For the majority, we have now been working from home since March 2020 (some 10 months!) and with the restrictions getting tighter, this seems set to continue for the foreseeable.
As a whole, the BTO Family Law team were able to transition relatively smoothly from working in the office to working remotely at home. Whilst it wasn’t without its challenges, we are now almost a whole year down the line and so working from home has become almost second nature to all of those in the team.
Advice and reassurance
We continue to provide expert, tailored advice to a wide range of individuals with equally varied aims and objectives. We are able to provide advice and reassurance over the phone and by email, whilst also making use of platforms such as Microsoft Teams and Zoom to allow us to hold virtual meetings.
These virtual meetings can be used as initial meetings in order to get to know our new clients, as well as to catch-up and plan with our existing clients in order to progress their case.
Virtual meetings
Additionally, we have utilised virtual meetings to facilitate mediations, as well as to hold settlement discussions with our counterparts and can conduct arbitrations virtually too.
We are acutely aware that life goes on despite the pandemic and so remain ready and willing to assist you as and when you need us.
Courts are open and running
It is not just those in the private sector who have gone remote, the Courts have also transitioned into remote working. Hearings now take place via telephone and the courts are in fact now set up to hold Proofs (evidential trials) via video conference – except where in-person attendance is absolutely necessary.
Although court is often used as a last resort, the fact the courts are open and running ensures that cases which require litigation to be raised as a matter of urgency are in fact able to proceed.
We at BTO have been able to easily transfer our court room skills to the online, virtual room for a great many of our clients.
We are able to assist you
As the saying goes, “life goes on” and despite the unprecedented times, separations will occur, family formats will change and the need for a family law solicitor will arise. We (not just in the family law team, but as a whole firm) remain able to assist you and provide you with advice and reassurance in what is already incredibly difficult times.
If you would like to receive advice from one of our solicitors, then please see the below information to our fixed fee initial meeting and we will be happy to help:
