Coronavirus Update from Ashtons Legal

Like all responsible businesses, Ashtons is focused on ensuring we protect our clients, our contacts and our staff when dealing with COVID-19 and the effect on our communities. At the same time, we are seeking to ensure that we can continue to provide the full range of services that our clients need.  What does this mean in practical terms?

Meetings

Within our business we are primarily communicating via Microsoft Teams. Many other businesses may choose to communicate with us in a similar way while individual clients may find Zoom, FaceTime or WhatsApp easier platforms. Where a face-to-face meeting is required, for example, to sign documents, then these will take place following all the Government guidelines relating to distance and hygiene and should be pre-booked in advance.

Office Closures

For a number of months we followed the government guidance and closed our offices due to the COVID-19 outbreak. Once restrictions were eased we opened offices on a part-time basis to a small number of staff in each location. Our offices are currently used by skeleton staff on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays with deep cleans taking place in between. We will conduct face-to-face meetings with clients but only when pre-booked and following strict rules for attendees such as the use of face masks, gloves and adherence to social distancing. We continue to offer a remotely operated full legal service and our reception staff will continue to answer calls and help with enquiries if they can.

FAQs

We are aware that for many businesses there are a number of unknowns at the moment. Our lawyers have written some articles relating to how employers should deal with COVID-19 from an employment law perspective, whether the outbreak will affect court cases, and the issue of force majeure.

If you need any further advice on legal issues relation to the impact of Coronavirus on your business, or on you as an individual, please do get in touch through this website or by calling 0330 404 0737.

In the meantime, very best wishes to you, your staff and your families as we continue to respond to the current circumstances.

This information is correct at 3.00pm on 30 September 2020.