Updated August 24, 2021
DeAngelis Legal has a unique role in facilitating the transition of wealth between parties in the event of a transaction, death, disability or emergency, therefore we are making every effort to remain open during the COVID-19 national emergency. Our team and families have been vaccinated, but our family members, friends, clients and community members may be harmed by the further spread of the virus, therefore we are monitoring the situation closely and implementing changes as necessary. A couple of these changes may impact you, including:
- In-person meetings. Due to the increased spread of the Delta variant of COVID-19 and decreased availability of hospital beds, as of August 24, 2021, we are returning to restricted in-person meetings and scheduling only telephonic or Zoom meetings. In-person meetings will be limited to will signing ceremonies and in-person meetings currently on the calendar. For those in-person meetings, we will require masks for everyone if anyone in the group is not vaccinated. At the time of scheduling, please be sure to confirm the type of meeting you prefer.
- Protocols for in-person meetings.
- First, we are scheduling more time between meetings and instituting a hard stop at 30 minutes prior to the next meeting to eliminate crossover between clients and allow time for cleaning. To adjust we will expand the window during which we schedule meetings, including early evening hours.
- Second, a team member will place a confirmation call to you prior to the meeting asking whether any attendee, or any household member of the attendee, has, in the last 14 days, (a) been in close contact with a suspected or confirmed case of COVID-19, (b) been to an emergency room or doctor’s office or (c) is exhibiting any symptoms of the virus, including fever, coughing and shortness of breath. We are not physicians and are unable to distinguish between someone with allergies, a common cold or flu and someone who is carrying COVID-19. If someone responds affirmatively to any of the above items, we will cancel the meeting and make alternative arrangements, such as converting the meeting to a telephone conference or video call, meeting after hours or postponing the meeting to a later date.
- Third, upon arrival, we removed the chairs in the reception and ask that you ring the bell and proceed directly to the conference room. Masks should be worn until you are in the conference room. We have also suspended water services during meetings, so please bring your own drinks and dispose of all waste yourself. In addition, we ask that only the parties that will be participating in the meeting come into the office (i.e. no children, driver stays in car if not a client, etc.).
- Fourth, in accordance with the Arizona Department of Health Services updated recommendations we will be wearing masks during in person meetings with unvaccinated guests and request as a courtesy to our team that each participant wear a mask to and from the conference room as well to prevent the unknowing transfer of the virus for those who are asymptomatic.
- Lastly, upon the conclusion of each in-person meeting we are sanitizing the conference room.
- Will Signing Ceremonies. We take will signing ceremonies seriously and continue to use a limited touch signing ceremony to protect clients and our team. This involves staff reviewing the ceremony through the conference room windows. For more information on our will signing protocol see the DeAngelis Legal Will Signing Video.
- Document Delivery. We prefer to send and receive documents electronically and through the mail to limit the foot traffic into the office. However, we do offer limited drop off and pick up alternatives for original documents on a case by case basis.
Please do not be offended by these in-person meeting changes as they are being implemented to protect you and our community. We believe the above changes are measured and appropriate under the circumstances so that we remain open. However, each day brings new information and we will adapt to those changes as appropriate so we can continue to provide high quality legal services in a timely and efficient manner. For more information on the virus please see the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Johns Hopkins University, Arizona Department of Health Services and Arizona Governor’s Executive Orders
From all of us at DeAngelis Legal, please stay healthy.