The attached letter, drafted by the Michigan Association for Justice, was sent to the Governor with a request to consider attorneys and their firms as essential, thus allowing the reopening of law offices. Together with the letter were proposed guidelines on how to reopen safely and within the requirements of social distancing.

I wanted to make sure that all members are reminded that currently law firms and attorneys are not considered essential and as such are not allowed to be open for business, except remotely, until the Stay Home Order is lifted or further Orders are issued. The Executive Board was asked to approve the signing of the attached letter and on behalf of all of you believe that it was of the utmost importance that we join together in this request.

Please let me know if you have any questions on this or any matter.

I have also attached an invitation below to a webinar focusing on the family division – however, it seems the information would be helpful to anyone working in the legal field. Please be sure to register if you plan to join. Sending you all positive vibes J

M E M O R A N D U M

DATE:              May 14, 2020

TO:                  Friends of the Court, Guardians Ad Litem, and Court Appointed Special Advocates

CC:                   Family Division Judges, Administrators, and Referees

FROM:            The Michigan Judicial Institute and Friend of the Court Bureau

RE:                   May 21, 2020 Live Webinar, 2:00-3:00 p.m.: Self-Care and Team-Care During Isolation

The Michigan Judicial Institute, in collaboration with Friend of the Court Bureau, is pleased to provide a webinar designed for staff experiencing social and professional distancing because of the COVID-19 pandemic.  During this event, participants will learn how to stay connected during isolation and how to take care of yourself and your team during this new reality.  This webinar will have a specific focus on team-care, which refers to coworkers supporting and encouraging the self-care efforts of their teammates.

To access this webinar, you must register by clicking HERE.  After registration is complete, you will receive a confirmation e-mail from Zoom with your personal link to join the webinar.  We strongly suggest that you do not forward your Zoom confirmation e-mail for use by another individual.

If you are unable to join the webinar, it will be recorded and available for access upon e-mail request to Michigan.Judicial.Institute@PROTECTED.

If you experience technical issues in registering with Zoom or connecting to the webinar, contact Anne DeMarco at demarcoa@PROTECTED.