As a result of the West Australian State government imposed Covid-19 five-day mandatory lockdown announced yesterday affecting Metropolitan Perth, Peel and the South West Regions, our office has closed effective immediately and will remain closed whilst the lockdown is in place for a 5 day period from 6pm on 31 January 2021 until 6pm on Friday, 5 February 2021.
Subject to any extension of the lockdown or updated WA government restrictions, we will re-open our offices on 8 February 2021.
Working remotely
Carr & Co has implemented measures to ensure the uninterrupted continuation of our services to our clients, whilst promoting our priorities to protect the health and safety of our staff, their families and our clients.
We have taken immediate steps to enable our lawyers to work remotely during the lockdown. Our team remains fully contactable via email, Microsoft Teams, ZOOM, Skype and phone and it is otherwise business as usual at Carr & Co. As always, our office phone line will be attended during our usual business hours.
We are well resourced to work remotely and we can continue to operate safely and to provide high quality service.
Client matters
To ensure minimal interruption to our clients and stakeholders, our team will continue to work on your matters as usual, with access to our usual resources at our disposal.
If you had an appointment or Court hearing scheduled for this week, a member of our team will have already, or will shortly make contact with you to discuss how it will now proceed, given our office closure and Court directives (discussed further below).
If you require assistance from a member of our team to understand the impact of the Covid-19 restrictions on your family law matter, for example, the impact of the lockdown on existing parenting orders, please get in touch and stay tuned to our website and social media for an update from our Senior Associate, Hayley Ellison on this topic shortly to be published.
You can also access the Family Law Section of the Law Council of Australia’s guide for managing for separated parents during the pandemic below.
Family Court hearings
Two notices were issued on 31 January 2021 relating to Family Court matters this week:
https://www.supremecourt.wa.gov.au/_files/Speeches/2020/COVID-19LockdownNotice31January2021.pdf
As the Family Court update confirms, all Family Court hearings listed in the week commencing 1 February 2021 are vacated, unless the Court advises the parties concerned that the matter is to proceed.
Any duty matters listed will be conducted by telephone or other electronic means.
Our team will keep you promptly updated if you have a matter listed before the Court this week as to how it is to proceed or otherwise as to any new hearing date which is allocated.
You should not attend the Family Court building in person during the lockdown period.
Ongoing Updates
As this is an evolving situation we will continue to monitor the situation and implement responses to COVID-19 in line with advice from the West Australian Government. Please refer back to this webpage which will be kept up to date with any further updates or changes to our operations.
If you have any concerns or questions, or if we can help you, please reach out to us on 9322 8000 or contactus@carrco.com.au
Stay safe and stay home.