Editor’s Note: The State Bar of Texas is providing this collection of important links, blog posts, and media stories to keep its members and the public informed of the latest news and resources related to the novel coronavirus outbreak and its impact on the legal community.
Important links
State Bar of Texas Coronavirus Legal Resources Page — Texasbar.com/coronavirus
State Bar of Texas Coronavirus Public Resources Page — Texasbar.com/COVIDHelp
Texas Lawyers’ Assistance Program Well-being Resources page — Texasbar.com/remote-well-being
Liability in the age of COVID-19 — Dallas attorney Kay Van Wey discusses why the COVID-19 pandemic is like the Ebola outbreak of 2014, and who should be held responsible for losses sustained during the current crisis. (Subscription required) — Texas Lawyer
Wrongful death suit alleges Walmart failed to protect employee who died from COVID-19 — The family of a suburban Chicago Walmart employee who died from COVID-19 filed a wrongful death lawsuit Monday alleging that the store failed to take steps to protect its workers. — ABA Journal
‘People at home have got to start paying attention,’ says Texas lawyer on COVID-19 front lines — The more that Jim Mullen watched news reports about New York City hospitals overwhelmed by COVID-19, the more he felt called to go there and help. — ABA Journal
Texas Democrats again sue to ease vote-by-mail rules during coronavirus pandemic — The Texas Democratic Party is asking both federal and state courts to rule on whether any voter in upcoming elections should be able to ask for an absentee ballot to mail in and avoid possible infection at polling places. — The Texas Tribune
Texas can enforce abortion ban during coronavirus pandemic, federal appeals court rules — Republican state officials have said barring the procedure in almost all cases is essential for preserving hospital resources during the pandemic. Abortion providers call it political opportunism — and unconstitutional. — The Texas Tribune
Analysis: COVID-19 pushed legal toward tech, remote work. There may be no going back — Remote work and the move toward more workflow automation could be sticking around as firms continue to cut overhead and bolster efficiency in an increasingly competitive market. (Subscription required) — Texas Lawyer
Can I sign my will electronically in Texas? — The COVID-19 pandemic has increased the number of people seeking estate planning services. In Texas, Testators have to sign Wills the old fashioned way – on paper. — Texas Wills and Trusts Law blog
Texas prisoners lock down, make masks to fight coronavirus — Two Texas prisons have been locked down to slow the spread of the coronavirus, while inmates at other facilities are making masks. — The Associated Press
How the Supreme Court schedule may change due to the pandemic (audio) — Like so many other workplaces across the country, the U.S. Supreme Court is nearly empty. The justices, like the rest of us, are practicing social distancing. — NPR
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