TOMORROW, Tan Chong Lii will be joining tens of thousands of lawyers nationwide to reopen his office as Malaysia eases restrictions on workplace closures since the movement-control order on March 18 to curb the spread of Covid-19.

Tan’s office across the GLO Damansara mall in Taman Tun Dr Ismail, Kuala Lumpur, was where he and four other partners worked for the past three years before circumstances required them to work online almost exclusively.  

During the MCO period, the office remained closed to clients and the public. The MCO was imposed on March 18 to fight Covid-19, which has claimed 109 lives and infected 6,726 others as at yesterday.

“We are taking the time between now (and) this Wednesday to brief our team members on our standard operating procedures (SOP) and get them familiar with them,” said Tan.

“Our conveyancing lawyer and support team have gone into the office to get some documents ready for submission to land offices, which have started or will soon start operations.”

Other preparations include taping floors to ensure social distancing for staff’s seating and visitors.

Notices have to be pasted in and outside the office to remind people about social distancing.

The firm also needs to prepare forms and paperwork to keep records of temperature checks and prepare a schedule to divide lawyers and staff into two teams to rotate between working at the office and at home on alternate weeks.

“Everyone will be wearing masks all the time,” Tan added.

The MCO is to end today but has now been replaced by the conditional MCO until June 9, which allows more economic sectors to reopen their workplaces and resume business. However, mass gatherings are still prohibited.

Based on a recent circular from the Bar Council, the manner in which law practices operate will change permanently, at least until a vaccine is found for the coronavirus.

The circular lists dozens of “to-do” guidelines for law firms.

Law firms must now screen the body temperature of employees, clients and anyone else entering the office on a daily basis.

They are to keep a record of the temperature reading, along with the personal details, for six months. The records can be kept separately for law firm personnel and clients or others, according to the circular.

Aside from using masks, hand sanitisers and on-premises disinfection, law firms are encouraged to accept clients by appointment only and ensure there is sufficient gap between each appointment, ideally 15 minutes apart.

Irene Chang, a lawyer based in Sibu, said her firm will follow the guidelines.

“We shall only be seeing clients on appointment basis. There shall be no walk-ins for a period of time,” said Chang, who is also a DAP assemblyman for Bukit Assek.

“As much as possible, we shall provide our service through emails and video conferencing. We are also considering staff rotation but that is not confirmed yet.”

Some lawyers, whose offices were in Covid-19 red zones, have had to adapt drastically to working online.

“We’ve been and will continue to work with clients through online communication,” said Lee Shee Pin, whose law firm with two other partners is based in Lembah Pantai.

For work, he and his partners heavily relied on WhatsApp, Telegram, Google Meet, Zoom, email and phone calls.

“The first two MCO (phases), things came to a halt. But business picked up during the third phase. Cases have been going up,” said Lee.

The chief registrar of the Federal Court yesterday issued SOP requiring those who wish to continue court proceedings to fill forms, have their temperature taken, observe social distancing and to wear masks at all times while in court.

With so many new procedures to plan for and details to incorporate just to reopen an office, some lawyers said they will hold off a return to the office for a while more.

“I’m feeling apprehensive about opening my firm’s business premises officially, given the SOPs and guidelines that are still streaming in,” said lawyer Choo Mun Wei, who is based in Kuala Lumpur.

“I’ll continue to work from home, while letting the dust settle. But I am open to making arrangements with opponents who wish to serve documents on my firm and such, so that our cases can move.” – May 12, 2020.