By the time Hurricane Sandy made landfall along the New Jersey coastline on the evening of Oct. 29, it already was disrupting home and business activities in the most densely populated section of the United States for a full day. As the storm moved up the Atlantic seaboard along its predicted track, governmental officials and business leaders cancelled operations, mandated evacuations and implemented existing disaster response plans, helping to reduce both human and property loss. Even so, the storm itself, combined with the unfortunate coincidence of extra-high tides from the full moon, yielded record- and infrastructure-breaking floods and wind damage.
While Sandy was devastating, its aftermath proved even more so, especially for businesses. Although everyone in the region was affected by Sandy, attorneys dealing with storm-related issues were faced not only with the challenges shared by all but also with the obligations placed upon them by state legal ethics rules. Some ethics issues may not be obvious, particularly with regard to technology, so it’s a good time to refresh our recollections.
