September 10, 2020 – Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, lawyers and their clients have had to navigate a maze of unprecedented questions. To help guide employers, medical providers, insurers, business owners and their legal counsel, Practising Law Institute (PLI) is publishing COVID-19 and Other Pandemics: Business and Legal Challenges.
The first comprehensive publication on the topic, the book is a practical guide to understanding the complex legal issues related to dealing with a pandemic, particularly COVID-19, in the workplace. The authors, public health and safety regulation experts James T. O'Reilly and Philip Hagan, share critical background and analysis of legal and scientific issues that clients need to understand in order to manage the new "normal" as they conduct business amidst a global pandemic.
The dramatic rise in client questions about the fallout from COVID-19 – on workplace risks, liability, health insurance, contracts and force majeure clauses, testing and tracing and more – presents a real-time challenge: Lawyers need clear answers now. This results-oriented book combines practical advice, the latest scientific research and guidance from key government agencies to provide readers with the answers they need and the questions they didn't know to ask.
The full treatise is scheduled for release in October 2020; click here to pre-order. Due to the urgency of the topic, select chapters are being released in advance to subscribers to PLI PLUS, PLI's research database.
"The body of knowledge for the virus, SARS-CoV-2 and the associated disease, COVID-19, is changing so rapidly that keeping up with answers to pertinent business and legal questions is difficult at best. By providing this synopsis of relevant responses to potential issues we have identified, the hope is that readers can use this knowledge to alleviate some of the negative impacts to their business interests and provide guidance in negotiating the current landscape for their clients," says co-author Philip Hagan, an author, consultant, practicing attorney and past professor at Georgetown University.
"This treatise combines a comprehensive appendix of key guidance from the CDC, EPA, FDA, OSHA and other agencies, with real-world analysis of more common legal questions such as those surrounding force majeure and quarantine authority," adds co-author James T. O'Reilly, Professor of Public Health Policy at the College of Medicine of the University of Cincinnati and author of leading references on food and drug law and federal records disclosure.
Known for producing relevant, in-depth content in response to current events, PLI responded quickly to the pandemic with programs addressing business-related concerns as well as issues relevant to those representing pro bono clients. "We are committed to ensuring that our Members and the legal community can access the essential knowledge and guidance they need to best serve their clients," says PLI Editor-in-Chief Michael Tuller. "With this new publication, we are pleased to add another valuable resource to our timely collection of COVID-19 content."
About Practising Law Institute (PLI):
Practising Law Institute is a nonprofit learning organization dedicated to keeping attorneys and other professionals at the forefront of knowledge and expertise. PLI is chartered by the Regents of the University of the State of New York, and was founded in 1933 by Harold P. Seligson. PLI provides the highest quality, accredited, continuing legal and professional education programs in a variety of formats which are delivered by more than 4,000 volunteer faculty including prominent lawyers, judges, investment bankers, accountants, corporate counsel, and U.S. and international government regulators. PLI publishes a comprehensive library of Treatises, Course Handbooks, Answer Books and Journals also available through the PLI PLUS online platform. The essence of PLI's mission is its commitment to the pro bono community.