Our global response to the Covid-19 coronavirus outbreak

A&O is constantly monitoring the impact of the Covid-19 coronavirus outbreak on its global organisation and the advice of governments and health authorities.

The firm is able to continue working to its usual high standards for clients while adapting some working practices, and making changes to policies on international travel and meetings.  The welfare of all A&O people and clients remains A&O’s priority.

The firm has undertaken the following preparations to ensure business resilience.

Maintaining client service and remote working

A&O offices that need to close for a certain period of time due to local restrictions or advice are able to continue to support clients by using tried and tested technology: all lawyers and the majority of support staff are able to work from home. They can do this through A&O’s secure network, with no interruption to client service, a setup that is very familiar as the majority of A&O people work remotely on a regular basis.

Currently many of offices across A&O’s global network are working from home or operating on a split team basis, alternating weeks in the office and working from home. To date the firm has not experienced, and does not anticipate, any significant disruption to its ability to continue to support clients on live matters.  There are also disaster recovery sites in place should the need arise.

International travel

Similar to many organisations, A&O has restricted international business travel to journeys that are deemed to be business and time critical. For meetings that can now not take place in person, A&O partners and staff are using call and video conferencing instead.  This is a global policy in addition to any local restrictions that may apply.

Meetings and events

Mandatory precautions have been introduced to keep clients, staff and other visitors as safe as possible from Covid-19 exposure. We have made the decision to cancel all upcoming in-person client and internal events and conferences. Events and client meetings in the foreseeable future are being reviewed on a continual basis. Many of our client meetings, seminars and events will be run virtually.