Business as usual (almost)

We are operating and working to protect your interests amid the unusual circumstances caused by the outbreak of COVID-19.

The partners and staff at Law/Cooper Regel have been making preparations and continue business almost as usual. Some of us are working remotely and our staff on site has been reduced to the bare minimum.

Here’s what we’re doing in response to the coronavirus pandemic:

All of our offices – Sherwood Park and Yellowknife – are operating, but are closed to drop-ins and any unscheduled visits.

We have arranged to have almost all of our staff work remotely. We are careful to limit contact between staff members and others in order to carry out our business in a socially responsible manner. We will try to identify alternatives to a personal meeting and, only as essential, will we consider such meetings. That being said, our staff will have a variety of means of communicating with you – via phone or e-mail.

We are following protocol recommended by health authorities in assessing whether it will be possible to have a personal meeting. If you have an appointment, or if you would like to make one, we would ask that you contact our office at the main phone number listed below. You will be asked a series of questions to determine whether a personal meeting is advisable. The questions are listed here.

If there are any concerns about your ability to meet with a member of our staff, they will be directed to a person authorized to make decisions in the best interest of our staff, our clients, and the community in general.

If you are trying to contact us, we will do our best to get back to you as quickly as possible. We are anticipating a high volume of calls and emails as people inquire about the status of their case or file. With the courts and other institutions closing or limiting access, we know that things are going to be more complicated and will take longer than anticipated. We ask for your understanding and patience in that regard.

For real estate clients:

We are ensuring that we have sufficient staff on site to complete your transaction as close to normal as possible. Client meetings with staff to sign real estate and mortgage documents will go through our vetting protocol. We are aware that there is the possibility of service disruptions with both banks and Land Titles Registry. We are in active communication with all of the institutions and businesses involved in real estate and corporate transactions and will keep you updated if anything changes.

For litigation clients:

The Alberta Court of Queen’s Bench has resumed most services and some court appearances and examinations for discovery are proceeding remotely by telephone or video.

All of the courts in the Northwest Territories and Nunavut are also proceeding remotely by telephone or video. At this point, we are still able to file documents and do other things that have previously always been done remotely.

We will provide you with updates on our practice and on changes affecting the practice of law on a regular basis. We hope this provides you confidence in the actions we are taking and if you have any concerns do not hesitate to contact us directly.