This past spring as the COVID-19 pandemic took over, area businesses were all forced to make quick changes and adaptions. This included businesses in all industries, of course including the law industry. Jordan Ramis PC, a local law firm with offices in Vancouver, Lake Oswego, Ore., and Bend, Ore., is just one of the area law offices that had to adapt during these uncertain times.
“At Jordan Ramis, we are continuously monitoring the COVID-19 situation as it pertains to our employees, our clients and their industries, and our communities,” said Carly Ruben-Stahr, marketing coordinator with Jordan Ramis PC. “While we are all experiencing challenges in one way or another, we strive to stay as up to date as possible to provide our clients with relevant advice and practical options under these uncertain circumstances.”
Jordan Ramis is a law firm that provides advice to businesses, organizations and individuals with their real estate and business needs, said Jamie Howsley, an attorney with Jordan Ramis. The firm was founded in 1963, and the business is currently owned by shareholder attorneys. Chris Reive and Brad Eriksen established the Vancouver office in the 2000s, and the office has continued to grow from there. Howsley said they are now the second largest firm in Vancouver.
“Our attorneys are actively engaged within the community whether through Rotary, Habitat for Humanity, Columbia River Mental Health Services, to other nonprofits, engagement in business groups like the Camas-Washougal Chamber, CREDC, Building Industry Association of Clark County, to service on many local government committees,” Howsley said. “You will often find a Jordan Ramis attorney there giving back to the community. Personally, I grew up in Vancouver, went to Vancouver Public Schools and appreciate being able to serve my clients in developing their businesses to strengthen the community in Clark County. And as a second-generation land use attorney in Clark County I have been a firsthand witness to the growth and change within Clark County.”
Since the onset of the coronavirus, Ruben-Stahr said employees at Jordan Ramis have taken several steps to adapt to the “new normal.” These include:
- * Sending out five business alerts outlining highlights and important information regarding the COVID-19 pandemic and Oregon and Washington responses to their client base that can be found in the news section on their website. The firm will continue to publish updates as new guidelines and other information become available.
- * One of the news posts is dedicated to the Washington building industry that Jordan Ramis will continue to update with guidelines for cities and counties.
- * Once Gov. Jay Inslee announced the Stay at Home Order specifying essential industries, which excluded construction, land use and construction industry attorneys immediately sought to clarify the scope of the restriction and what the order ultimately meant for their clients and the industry as a whole. The Jordan Ramis team has worked tirelessly and are driving a strong advocacy campaign to interpret the scope as it pertains to construction. They are continuing to work in the trenches to develop protocols to phase in construction work at different intervals.
- * The firm has submitted a couple of articles referring to the impacts of the pandemic on the industries they serve and are working on two more. (DJC, CBN, VBJ)
- * Jordan Ramis has held internal programs for their attorneys to learn about the provisions of the CARES Act, specifically focusing on the portions of the Act aimed at small businesses and employers, and how to help them identify and evaluate their options.
- * They are proactively reaching out to existing clients and colleagues to check in, provide updates and answer questions.
- * Internally, moving from physical offices to all virtual has been challenging, but it has been a smooth transition with additions like launching an internal weekly newsletter, utilizing video conferencing, and integrating Microsoft Teams and Zoom. While the Jordan Ramis physical offices are closed and they are operating remotely, there are four staff members taking turns in the office to ensure essential business operations are executed.
- * They continue to track federal stimulus packages and state reopening developments so that they can keep clients informed.
The Vancouver Jordan Ramis office is located at 1499 SE Tech Center Place, Suite 380. The Vancouver office can be reached at 360-567-3900.
