John Drdek, an associate in Sheppard Mullin’s business trial practice group practicing out of the firm’s Del Mar, California, office, was packing May 8 for a flight to Hawaii—a strange trip to be taking during the middle of a pandemic.

It wasn’t a vacation, though. The fourth-year associate was preparing for a two-month stay at COMPACFLT, also known as the headquarters of the United States’ Navy Pacific Fleet.