Solicitors across Orange are adapting to changes brought on by coronavirus restrictions while receiving increased demand for services such as wills and making power of attorney arrangements.
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Cheney Suthers Lawyers director Dannielle Ford said her firm received additional inquiries particularly from clients who were vulnerable or at risk of contracting COVID-19.
"We have taken steps to speak to clients over the phone to take those inquiries," Ms Ford said.
However, she said documents such as wills still had to be written face-to-face so she wrote to Member for Orange Phil Donato asking for a change in legislation so wills could be witnessed in circumstances where a person had to self-isolate.
"He's replied and said the letter has been forwarded to [NSW attorney general] Mark Speakman," Ms Ford said.
"It's not just a will that's important in these times, [there are also] power of attorney and corporate powers of attorney."
Ms Ford said the documents were for a person or business leader to choose who would make decisions on their behalf in the event they couldn't make important decisions themself in cases such as serious illness.
We are still taking clients face-to-face to sign these important documents, preferably we are meeting with clients over the phone first.
- Dannielle Ford
"There are people who think, 'what happens if I die', it's just as important to have people such as family members make decisions for you while you are still alive," Ms Ford said.
"We are still taking clients face-to-face to sign these important documents, preferably we are meeting with clients over the phone first."
Baldock Stacey and Niven senior partner Jim Prosser-Fenn is working from home and said he has also been getting a lot of inquiries about commercial rents as well as about wills and power of attorney.
"There' a lot of people wanting wills and power of attorney. It's very important that you have somebody as a safety net if they get sick while still alive."
He said if people got sick and people had not already appointed a power of attorney then one would be appointed for them but only and individual would know who the best person was to take care of their interests.
Mr Prosser-Fenn said he has worked since 1973 and this was his first time working from home and he was set up with dual screens, a laptop, iPad, mobile phone and zoom conferencing.
"My daughter Sarah Ryan, she's a lawyer as well and she's managing the appearances, she meets with the clients and she phones me and we make sure there's no affect for people," Mr Prosser-Fenn said.
"I'm high-risk and she's much less so we prefer to talk on the telephone. We prefer that people don't come in if at all possible.
"We had a client from overseas and want to meet on the Monday and I said 'no mate you can't come in'."
He said they discussed the matter remotely and documents were put into quarantine after the client handled them.
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