David B. Haber,left, and Nilka Gomez,right, of Haber Law.

Hurricane season is around the corner once again, so the question is: Is your law office prepared for the big storm? South Floridians deal with extreme weather conditions every year. Miami is, at best, slightly above sea level, and any extra precipitation can cause disastrous flooding. Hurricane Irma showed us the extreme damage heavy rains can cause when combined with high tides and full moons. During Irma, we witnessed the flooding of downtown Miami and watched as Brickell Avenue was rocked with two-foot waves.

Whether it be a severe thunderstorm or a full-blown hurricane, it's important to be prepared for the worst. But being prepared is not only about protecting the physical office, files and computers, it's also about taking care of the staff's well-being during and after serious storms.

It's important to address not just the practical considerations to take, but also the mental toll storms can have on employees, and how law firm leadership can help staff deal with the complications that accompany both preparations and the aftermath.

The 'Calm'Before the Storm: Preparing Your Office

When preparing your office for an impending extreme weather event, you must consider the following:

Have a waterproof, fire-resistant safe that is raised off the floor. Confirm all original promissory notes and other original, confidential and highly important documents are placed in the safe so that in the event of a natural disaster, valuables are kept safe. If you have a paperless office, the amount of paper going into the safe may be minimal.

Work with an IT company that has a data center to allow for redundancy, such as power and fuel. The IT center should have limited/restricted physical access so that all data is secure. This setup also allows for better disaster recovery and faster restore capacity as the infrastructure is virtualized.

Create a plan for notifying clients and vendors that you are closing the office, and, in the case of law firms doing litigation, check with the court systems regarding any court closings or deadline extensions. Ensure all pending deadlines are addressed in advance.

Work with your IT team to ensure a communication plan is in place and have a contingency plan for phones. There should be clear instruction as to any devices that should be shut down at your firm and how to work remotely if necessary. At our office, we've prepared the technology so that our staff can use cellphones and portable computers to access data from the remote IT data center and work from a virtual office, whether it be from a hotel in the Carolinas or Atlanta during a storm or from home once the storm is over.

In terms of physical space, make sure that all documents and computer equipment are off the floor, files are not out on desks and any computer and IT equipment is protected, away from windows and doors.

Preparing Your Staff

The most important consideration is staff safety. Establishing a plan for regular, clear communication with all staff is the best way to know that employees are all safe. We recommend creating a WhatsApp Chat with all staff to be able to monitor and ensure their safety. In a group chat, you can disseminate important information in real time before, during and after the storm.

During Irma, we had 23 families traveling the Southeast, trying to get away from the storm (which chased them the entire way!). We were able to track all of them, because of our storm preparedness. Knowing where people are, what they need and helping them with logistics, such as booking hotel rooms and finding fuel on the roads, were critical for the well-being of our employees and their families.

The firm should also be stocked with extra supplies, such as batteries, flashlights, bottled water, and nonperishable food items that the staff can take in case of an emergency. Emergency contacts should be identified internally, as well as emergency contacts for clients. If you have clearly defined protocols in place before a storm, everyone will know their roles and responsibilities and recovery will go smoothly.

Governmental protocols must also be followed. Having a good tie-in to governmental information is critical. Prior to a storm, gather important documents from Miami-Dade County Emergency Management or similar city, county or state agencies in other locations, keeping in mind that your employees may live in Broward or Palm Beach counties. If there are mandatory evacuations, employees should be given time to pack and leave those flood zones early.

The Aftermath

How can lawyers and support staff best handle the aftermath of a hurricane? By communicating. Make telephone calls to find out where everyone is and ensure the staff's safety, first and foremost. In our office, with litigation and real estate closing deadlines, there are many complications that coincide with natural disasters. This is where good communication becomes essential in order to confirm deadlines and reduce tension.

Remember that with Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans, law firms were out of their physical space for up to one year, and they had to make alternative arrangements while their offices were being rebuilt. The aftermath of a storm can be a matter of days, weeks or even years as in that case.

Conclusion

We believe that “hope for the best, but prepare for the worst” is a good motto to follow. Be prepared, communicate and have redundancies in place in order to avoid missing deadlines or risk important data. Test your disaster preparedness in advance, before hurricane season hits. At the end of the day, we are all law offices within a community, and we are a vital part of that community. We are in this together. So, get prepared early and be ready to lend a hand to your neighbor.

David B. Haber is the managing and founding shareholder of Haber Law. His practice areas include construction and condominium and homeowner association law, as well as complex commercial and real estate litigation. He can be reached at [email protected].

Nilka Gomez is office administrator at Haber Law. She can be reached at [email protected].