Letters: May 2020

I am grateful to all the readers who contacted me after my article was published in the April Journal (at 13, part of this feature).

Since I came out of hospital at the beginning of April, my story has also been covered in several local papers and the Glasgow Evening Times. I have been inundated with kind wishes and nice messages from other lawyers, friends, acquaintances and people whom I hardly know. It has truly been humbling. 

I am happy to say that I am now recovering well at home from suspected COVID-19. I have been really well cared for by my husband, Antonio. Every day I am getting better, stronger and I have now returned to work. 

I would like also to update readers on how we got on with the various projects and plans I outlined in the article. 

Our team has been amazing. We managed to complete many of the projects that I set out in the article.

We have reviewed and archived nearly 2,000 files; we have audited and updated processes, and revised our styles; we have dealt with historic problem files, ingathered debts, negotiated payment extensions with suppliers and, really critically, we have billed and recovered 50% of our usual monthly turnover (with a week to go). 

We managed to hold on to our full team without anyone going on to furlough until Easter. 

Since then, we have begun to furlough. We analyse our data
to determine who and when. The team has been really brilliant at understanding and accepting that we are doing all we can for the benefit of the business, which in turn will benefit all of us. 

It’s been really difficult. I don’t have all the answers; nobody does, but I am so very grateful to our team and promise that we will work hard to bring them back into the business as soon as we can. 

Had we put the business on to furlough in March, none of this would have happened. Time will tell whether this approach has been the right one, but from where I’m sitting, I am pleased that we did it this way. 

Now back to my time in hospital. I received such good care and as our way of saying thank you, we have launched a free will promotion which is available to anyone who works for the NHS or is a carer. 

We have also partnered with Marie Curie for the sixth consecutive year to write free wills for anyone who is over 18 and considers leaving a legacy to Marie Curie in their will. 

As I write, the promotion only launched three days ago and so far we have had 75 enquiries. 

We are embracing all the new technologies to allow us to do this entirely remotely, and the promotion is bringing a lot of positivity and energy at a much needed time. 

It is really important to give something back and I hope that in a small way, Scullion LAW are doing our bit. It’s been heartening to read of other acts of kindness from within the legal profession as we support our communities. I pray that we all stay safe, well and that this ends soon. 

Please spread the word about our free will promotion – details at scullionlaw.com / 0141 374 2121. 

Many thanks. 

Nicholas Scullion, managing director, Scullion LAW