Editor's Note

The Big Ideas issue has long been one of my favorites each year. When we were planning the issue for 2020, COVID-19 was primarily in China and starting to impact Europe. Our editorial board, which was meeting in person in Austin, Texas, at the time, was almost joking when we suggested using the possibility of a pandemic to highlight the importance of law firm disaster planning. Shortly after our meeting, COVID-19 made its way to the United States, resulting in shelter-in-place orders. As I write this, my own law firm is primarily operating remotely.

While working with lawyers across the country through the COVID-19 crisis, I have learned that there are many law firms that still rely on paper and paper processes, are uncomfortable with electronic signatures and are unprepared for sudden removal from one’s physical space.