At a time of great anxiety for many attorneys, especially solo practitioners and those at small- and medium-sized law firms, incoming Hartford County Bar Association president Thomas Rechen said he plans on addressing head-on the uncertainties surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic.

An attorney for 32 years, including the last 12 as a partner at McCarter & English, Rechen said the COVID-19 crisis is the No. 1 issue facing attorneys and the association today. The association has a $300,000 annual budget.

Rechen will be installed as president of the 2,000-member association on May 19.

"This has been a stressful time for everyone, and lawyers have the stressors associated with managing, financing and how to handle employees. COVID-19 has made everyone stressed," said Rechen, a New Paltz, New York, native and West Hartford resident.

Rechen said larger law firms "are somewhat better positioned to deal with the crisis because they have the infrastructure in place. It's the small and medium law firms that will need our help."

Help from the association, Rechen said, includes providing continuing legal education programs, supporting law firms with information technology support and understanding the guidelines set down by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and assisting with workforce rotation at firms to limit the virus' spread.

Rechen said his short-term goals are to "manage the association and its member firms through the process of reopening."

Encouraging the mentoring of young attorneys and "stabilizing the finances of the organization" are long-term goals, Rechen said.

"We want to make sure that lawyers, particularly young lawyers, know that the Hartford County Bar Association is there for them," Rechen said. "We do what we can to encourage mentorships, as it's important in any profession to have good role models. Beyond that, the association helps provide educational programs and can pair younger lawyers with an experienced practitioner."

Rechen continued: "Those experienced practitioners can help younger lawyers with issues like keeping time accurately and billing for time; dealing with difficult clients and maybe even with difficult attorneys; and things like scheduling depositions."

Thomas Finn, a fellow McCarter & English partner and chairman of the firm's business litigation group, said Rechen "has the strength and ability to lead. He inspires people and is a tireless worker. He will bring great leadership to the association."

The association's annual dues are based on a sliding scale and are no more than $195 annually. The association covers the cities of Hartford, New Britain and Berlin and about 20 towns.

The Hartford County Bar Association's origins can be traced to 1783, making it the oldest bar association in the country, according to the association.

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