Davis Wright Staffer Dies After Showing Flu-Like Symptoms, Firm Closes Washington Offices
The firm is still waiting for more information on the cause of legal assistant Lisa Carney's death, but has closed its offices in Seattle and Bellevue, while asking other offices to begin working remotely Monday.
March 13, 2020 at 02:11 PM
2 minute read
The original version of this story was published on The American Lawyer
Davis Wright Tremaine
Davis Wright Tremaine has closed its Seattle and Bellevue, Washington, offices after a firm legal assistant died Thursday. Lisa Carney, 60, left work Tuesday with flu-like symptoms, worked remotely Wednesday and was found dead in her home the following day, the firm said Friday.
There has been no confirmation that Carney was infected with COVID-19. The firm says it is still waiting for a medical examiner to provide more information. Davis Wright announced Friday that it is immediately closing its Seattle and Bellevue offices. It is also asking its Bellevue employees to follow CDC guidelines and self-quarantine.
"Since we do not yet know the cause of her death, in the interest of the health and well-being of all our employees, we are closing our Bellevue and Seattle offices until further notice and have asked everyone in those offices to work remotely," the firm said in a written statement Friday.
Davis Wright has also closed its Portland, Oregon, location after learning of a confirmed case in the building where that office is located. The firm has asked its employees to work remotely while the office is deep-cleaned.
The firm has also asked attorneys and staff in its five other offices—Anchorage, Alaska; Los Angeles; San Francisco; Washington, D.C.; and New York—to work remotely beginning March 16.
Carney worked for Davis Wright for more than 16 years. Firm managing partner Jeff Gray said she was a "beloved" member of the firm.
Gray said the firm will focus on protecting its employees while providing the "highest level of client service and continuity of firm operations."
"This is a profoundly sad and very anxious time," Gray continued in his statement. "We are mourning the loss of one of our own and will lean on each other to get through this trying time together."
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