We are in unprecedented times.

Change is happening at a breathtaking pace.

At the New Jersey State Bar Association (NJSBA), we want you to know that we are here to help you—and the entire legal profession—through this challenging time. The heart of the NJSBA is that it is a community. During previous times of crisis like Sept. 11 and Superstorm Sandy, we have seen this community rise to great heights to help each other and serve society. Though the circumstances we are living through are new to all of us, we have great faith that the result will be no different—the legal profession of New Jersey will give generously and passionately to its own and our residents.

Starting this week, the New Jersey Law Center is closed to visitors, but we are very much open for business. We have shifted as much as possible to a remote operation. We are doing this to help minimize the spread of COVID-19 because we know that our members, Law Center visitors and staff are our most valuable resources and it is critical that we all do what we can to keep each other safe.

Please know that we have been monitoring the coronavirus pandemic since it began and have spent the last several weeks preparing an action plan to serve our community. We launched that plan this week.

We are advocating for the profession

We are in regular contact with the New Jersey Judiciary, the federal courts and the Executive Branch. We are sharing regular updates from those agencies with our members and customers and are sharing the concerns of our community with them on topics like jury trials, filing deadlines, tax deadlines, and what to do about paper copies of files and notices. Many of these issues and others are being addressed with our input in real time.

We are also connecting with other legal organizations to get an understanding of the legal issues that people are facing around the country so that we can be ready to serve.

We are sharing resources

We have created a COVID-19 resources page that is being updated several times each day with news and information that is of concern to lawyers and the profession, including court notices and government updates.

Our blog is constantly refreshed with information that may be useful to you, from mental health tips and resources, to strategies for working at home, to an overview of what law firms around the state are doing in the face of this crisis. We are also pushing this information out to members via email, CommunityNET and our social media channels.  We are continuing our online learning. The New Jersey Institute for Continuing Legal Education will still offer the important CLE seminars on substantive legal topics that attorneys need to ensure they are up-to-date, only now they will be offered as webcasts that can be easily viewed at home or in the office. Even more, the staff is hard at work developing a roster of free webinars to help you tackle the specific issues facing law firms as they transition to virtual offices during this crisis, like how to use Zoom to conduct conferences and meetings and how to use mindfulness to reduce anxiety. Those will be coming online soon at NJICLE.com.

Here's how to get in touch

• Email us. Your message will be returned promptly.
• Call. All voicemails are forwarded directly to staff emails and can be listened to moments after receipt.
• Connect. We are on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Instagram and the NJSBA's CommunityNET is a dynamic online platform where members in specific practice areas are sharing resources and tips on how to navigate these times.

Let us all continue to support each other. It is more important now than ever to draw on the tenets of professionalism that guide all of us to be compassionate, kind and understanding toward our clients, our adversaries and our friends and family members.

Stay safe, stay healthy and stay strong.