3月27日上海因新一轮新冠疫情而实行划江封城措施，至今已一个月有余。在沪律所的管理者坦言，除了防控疫情、保障物资、维续业务，帮助长期居家律师缓解焦虑、建立并保持健康的心理状态也是头等大事。
其实早在3月27日前，上海还处于区域疫情管控阶段之时，紧张和焦虑情绪就有所显现。金诚同达律师事务所上海分所主任叶乐磊律师回忆道，当时已经出现办公楼、商业区因疫情突然管控隔离48小时的情形，这样的不确定性让需要去办公室工作的律师们倍感压力。
因此，彼时，金诚同达上海分所就鼓励律师居家办公，同时也与写字楼物业保持紧密联系，关注楼宇防疫政策变化，并且购置了大量生活物资，以备不时之需。
这些举措有效缓解了律师的焦虑情绪，然而没过多久，上海就实施了划江封城。相比之下，此前的区域疫情管控仿佛只是“新手村”测试，居家的律师们迎来了更加严峻和持久的考验。
“疫情管控措施最直接影响的就是律师的创收，继而影响实际收入，且因居家隔离，薪资发放、提成获取流程无法正常开启，不能确保收入，极易带来情绪变化。”叶律师说。因此，经金诚同达总所同意，上海分所一次性向每位律师发放了慰问金，并因地制宜简化财务流程，保证授薪律师的薪资正常发放，提成律师的创收在符合一定条件的情况下亦可以正常获得。
除了经济压力，居家办公、生活不便，以及长期难以改善现状的事实也影响着律师的情绪和心理健康。叶律师告诉ALB，金诚同达上海律师群体的一个重要特点是年轻，而年轻伴生的一大问题是容易心浮气躁，并且， “新上海人”等独居的青年律师群体受限于居住环境，缺乏日常交流对象，更容易受外界影响，产生焦虑、抑郁等情况。
“在疫情各类消息频出，真伪难辨，防控措施逐渐趋严的情况下，用健康心态直面疫情及其引发的一系列困难是最重要的。” 叶律师表示。遵循“以宽容之心正视自我情绪并合理输出”的原则，金诚同达上海分所以党支部和业务部门为单位，确保疫情期间每位律师、律师助理、行政人员都能够与律所保持畅通联系，做到无遗漏、无死角。
此外，金诚同达还发起了《“疫”起守沪-JT&N三人行之云上漫谈》活动，组织律所领导、合伙人和执业律师以线上聊天的方式，以律师执业成长、律所文化建设、疫情期间如何转化业务等为话题，引导律师正确看待疫情，看待漫长的职业生涯，合理、有效利用疫情期间的时间学习、积累、整合、转化，为疫情后的工作蓄力。
截至发稿时，上海尚未发布有关解封的正式通知，而部分北京律师也开始面临管控措施导致的短期居家办公新情况。在未来充满不确定性和挑战之际，叶律师表达了他想对同仁们说的话：“我们是一个欢乐、充实、团结的大家庭，当下，在无法彻底解决困难之前，要调整好心态，努力适应和克服。沧海横流，方显英雄本色。这样的经历，何尝不是宝贵的磨练机会？”
Shanghai lockdown: How one firm is looking to support its lawyers’ mental wellbeing
It has been more than a month since Shanghai started a city-wide lockdown on March 27 in an effort to stamp out the spread of COVID-19. Law firm leaders are finding that in addition to keeping their Shanghai-based lawyers safe from the virus, a key priority for them is bolstering their employees’ mental health as the strict lockdown takes an emotional toll on the city’s residents.
Shanghai residents have been feeling a great deal of anxiety and stress even before the lockdown started. Ye Lelei, a managing partner of JT&N’s Shanghai office, recalls that previously, COVID policy required office buildings and business areas to be locked down for 48 hours as soon cases were found. This made lawyers reluctant to go to the office, for fear of being trapped there for days.
As a result, the firm encouraged its Shanghai lawyers to work from home. It also kept a large amount of daily necessities on hand in case lawyers were locked in the building and had to stay there until they were allowed to leave.
However, since Shanghai started its citywide lockdown, lawyers have been feeling a lot more pain, both emotionally and financially.
“The most direct impact of the pandemic is that the revenue has taken a blow, thus affecting lawyers’ income. What’s worse is that the process of salary and commission payment cannot be conducted normally because of the lockdown, resulting in emotional turmoil among lawyers,” Ye says. To counter this, the Shanghai branch paid out a one-time sum to each lawyer, and also simplified the financial process to make sure salaries would be paid normally and even commissions would be received under certain conditions.
In addition to financial pressures, the inconvenience of working from home, the feeling of living in isolation, as well as long-term inability to improve the situation substantially has also affected lawyers emotionally. Ye tells ALB that that since JT&N’s Shanghai lawyers are relatively young, and “young people can get impetuous more easily,” the isolation and and lack of daily communication are making them more vulnerable to anxiety and depression.
“It’s a time when all kinds of pandemic-related news, truth mixed with lies, keep coming out and the restrictions are getting stricter. We see it as a top priority to help lawyers establish a healthy mental state to confront the current situation and overcome series of difficulties caused by it,” Ye says.
With the goal of helping lawyers managing their emotions during this period, JT&N’ Shanghai branch has set up communication groups based on departments, covering all staff to make sure everyone has a communication channel.
Another thing JT&N has done to help is use online live streaming platforms to hold webinars, where law firm leaders, partners, and younger lawyers share their thoughts about topics like career development, law firm culture, and how to practice efficiently during the pandemic, in order to help lawyers see the current situation in an rational way, reasonably and effectively use their time, and accumulate strength for when the current difficult period passes.
As this article is published, there is still no clear idea of when the lockdown will end. Amid the uncertainty and constant challenges, Ye says: “We have always been a joyful, well-learned and united family. Before we solve the problems completely, let’s adjust our state of mind, try to overcome and adapt. It is in a turbulent era when heroes distinguish themselves. What we are going through now is also an opportunity to test ourselves. Let’s keep a good mental state and welcome the victory that will finally come.”
