The Defender’s offices are closed until April 1, but attorneys and staff will continue working on behalf of clients through the coronavirus emergency
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Category: Client Support and Services
Defender Association to Reduce Client Interview Hours During COVID-19 Emergency
PHILADELPHIA–Due to staffing shortages spurred by the COVID-19 outbreak, the new hours for client interviews at the Defender Association of Philadelphia will be 12:30 to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday.
“We understand that this is a major disruption for many of our clients,” said Chief Defender Keir Bradford-Grey, “But it’s critical that we strike the right balance between the health of our staff and our obligation to our clients and the courts.”
As an added safety measure, the Defender will also be limiting the number of clients in the reception area. Once this capacity is reached, clients will be asked to either return at a later time or to leave their phone number to be contacted for a telephone interview. Bradford-Grey noted that these measures, while disruptive, are only temporary.
“With all of the school closings and safety concerns, we’re going to be operating with a ‘skeleton crew’ of attorneys and staff for at least a couple of weeks. But it’s our intention to return to normal staffing levels the moment our local health officials tell us that it’s safe.”
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