Legal firms now considered essential services, allowed to reopen

Legal firms now considered essential services, allowed to reopen

Revised SOPs were announced yesterday and lawyers can get back to work immediately, the Bar Council said.

Legal firms can submit their applications through Miti’s Covid-19 intelligent management system 3.0 for approval by the Legal Affairs Division of the Prime Minister’s Department.
PETALING JAYA:
Legal firms may now resume operations during Phase 1 of the national recovery plan, having previously been barred from doing so.

This comes after revised SOPs were released by the Legal Affairs Division of the Prime Minister’s Department.

In a statement, the Bar Council said the new SOPs “confirm that legal firms are recognised as essential services, regardless of area of practice, and are allowed to operate effective June 29, subject to conditions”.

All applications to operate are to be made through the international trade and industry ministry’s (Miti) Covid-19 intelligent management system 3.0 (CIMS 3.0) for approval by the Legal Affairs Division. Approval should be granted within hours, and no supporting documents are required when filing.

Firms that managed to obtain prior approval through the system do not need to reapply.

Other private sector SOPs will be applicable, such as keeping employee attendance to 60% at a time, ensuring all workers and visitors to the premises check in through MySejahtera, and maintaining physical distancing.

Further, the Bar Council said firms do not need to seek police approval or endorsement in order to operate, so long as they have applied through CIMS 3.0.

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