Three firms who have been forced to vacate their damaged offices after an Oct. 8 fire have not slowed down, they said.
The fire started on a Saturday afternoon at the law offices of Fullerton, Lemann, Schaefer & Dominick, LLP; Law Office of Joyce Holcomb and Eric D. Anderson Law, at 215 N. D St. in San Bernardino.
The fire occurred less than a mile from a fire station.
Joyce Holcomb’s law office was completely destroyed, but her insurance is covering all the financial damage, she said.
Holcomb had backed up all of her records on the cloud. She made sure beforehand that her insurance would pay for the paper reproduction of her documents, and she encouraged others to review their insurance in case of emergency.
Her office moved to a command center, and in-person meetings with clients will be held at conference rooms in hotels.
“I didn’t miss a beat,” Holcomb said the Thursday after the fire.
The offices of Fullerton, Lemann, Schaefer & Dominick suffered only water damages, but still had to vacate the building.
They were able to retrieve their documents, and are storing them in a warehouse, said Michael Schaefer. The biggest issue is that their records are more difficult to access. Their attorneys are working from their own homes, or at vacant homes found by the firm. Schaefer estimated that the firm will find a new office in eight months, but that in the meantime they could not stop their pace.
“You’ve got to keep your nose to the grindstone,” Schaefer said.
Eric Anderson is enthusiastic about his switch to working from home for the foreseeable future.
Skipping rent will reduce their costs, and allow him and attorney Sean Cork to serve more people. The point of an office, to meet clients and receive mail, is antiquated in the 21st century, Anderson said.
They already meet with most of their clients virtually, and when they do meet in conferences in person before trials, they can meet at a conference space in Redlands. The move also allows them to expand contracted staff, possibly including attorneys in other states, Anderson said.
