The Law Society has published a practical framework and toolkit to help law firms return to the office safely, in response to government guidance.
On 11 May 2020, the UK government published detailed guidance for offices in England, which covers law firms and sole practitioners.
Toolkit
On 3 June, we released a toolkit for firms to help with a safe return to the office. It includes:
- a risk assessment template
- coronavirus (COVID-19) posters to display in your office
- other resources including a flowchart to help firms with staffing decisions.
Practical framework
On 12 May, we published a practical framework for firms and sole practitioners, based on the government guidance.
We updated this framework in early August to reflect the most recent guidance from the government.
The basic principles include the following.
- Non-prescriptive – firms will need to translate the guidance into specific actions, depending on size, management and structure.
- Comply with legal obligations – the guidance does not supersede any obligations relating to health and safety, employment or equalities.
- Discretion and COVID-19-secure workplaces – the updated guidance no longer suggests working from home if you can. Instead, it gives employers discretion on their workplace arrangements.
