Legal practice management company Clio announced on Monday that it will set up a $1 million disaster relief fund to help the legal community overcome the financial challenges posed by the ongoing coronavirus crisis.
In an interview with LawSites, Clio CEO and cofounder Jack Newton said that the company intends “to ensure lawyers are set up to succeed as well as ensuring their clients can continue to get the legal help they need.”
Newton also remarked that the legal industry is “in a moment when change that the legal profession might have expected to see over the next 10-20 years will now happen in the next 10-20 days,” citing the decentralisation of work environments and the transition from on-premises technology to cloud technology as two of the most significant developments that will be seen.
Clio’s disaster relief fund, or “COVID-19 Legal Relief Initiative”, rests on four “pillars”, representing areas where Clio’s financial aid will be deployed and criteria under which people can apply for funding:
- Educational Support. Clio says that it intends to collaborate with industry leaders, including bar associations and law societies around the world, to deliver educational resources and consulting expertise that will help law firms navigate the challenges of the epidemic.
- Financial Aid for Law Firms and Legal Organisations. Clio will provide direct financial support to law firms and legal organisations that are struggling to maintain business continuity or need additional support moving to the cloud. Non-profits and charities providing mental health support to legal professionals during the epidemic may also qualify for this funding.
- Financial Aid for Clio Licenses. Firms that require the flexibility to work remotely to ensure their business continuity will be offered financial assistance to offset the cost of subscribing to Clio.
- Support with Onboarding and Implementation of Clio. This is intended to make it easier and more straightforward for firms that want to move to the cloud. It involves the creation of a Quick Start Program, which will be a five-day series of programs to ease firms through the transition process. If you need to move your firm to the cloud, we want to assist in making that as quick and straightforward as possible through our Quick Start Program. Clio say that they will also be working with their Clio Certified Consultants to provide additional support in implementing their legal cloud technology.
Clio has created a dedicated page on its website to explain the initiative, with an appeal to law community “leaders” to help ensure its effectiveness.
“If you are a community leader, let us know what is needed most right now and help us share this message broadly,” the statement reads.
