As the chair of a health care firm, McDermott Will & Emery’s Ira Coleman has a unique vantage point from which to observe—and respond to—the unfolding health and economic crises facing the United States right now. Speaking over a Zoom channel from his home in Plantation, Florida, he describes the challenges facing firms in the coming months, as well as the opportunities. In this lightly edited interview, he discusses the need to be nimble, what happens once the crisis ends, and how leaders can help steer their firms through stormy waters.

Ben Seal: What has the last month been like for you as a firm leader?