Dear Clients,
Happy New Year!
In recent days, the COVID-19 outbreak hit many places in China. The CPC Central Committee, the State Council and provincial party committees and governments attach great importance to epidemic prevention and control. A few days ago, the General Office of the State Council has issued a notice to extend the Spring Festival Holiday to Feb 2, 2020. A majority of provinces and cities such as Beijing, Shanghai, Chongqing, Sichuan and Guiyang have activated the first-level response to public health emergency and notified that all businesses and enterprises should resume normal operations no earlier than midnight of February 9, 2020. In order to implement the important deployment of pneumonia epidemic prevention and control of COVID-19, support the prevention and control work of all places and effectively avoid crowds gathering risks so as to prevent the epidemic from spreading, ZHH hereby makes this warm reminder as follows on matters related to our legal services during the COVID-19 outbreak in accordance with the principle that life and health come first:
1.ZHH extends the Spring Festival Holiday to Feb 2 (Lunar date: January 9).
2.From February 3 (Lunar date: January 10) to February 9 (Lunar date: January 16), ZHH will arrange a duty schedule for handling necessary matters such as stamping, invoicing and receiving letters. No visitor will be received in principle. If your Company/you have urgent legal matters to be handled, please communicate with the responsible lawyer via online office methods such as telephone, WeChat, fax and email. We can also have an online video communication with you through ZHH’s Cisco Video Conference System (The specific operation way will be informed by the responsible lawyer) and respond to your Company’s/your service needs in many channels in a timely manner so as to ensure professional and timely legal services.
3.ZHH will resume normal operations starting from February 10 (Lunar date: January 17) (except as otherwise provided by the new government regulations). If you need to visit for urgent matters, please make sure that you have made an appointment with the responsible lawyer and wear a medical surgical mask or N95 mask during the whole meeting. Before the epidemic is fully contained, ZHH will arrange specialized staff to disinfect our office area every morning and evening; when receiving the visitor, ZHH will, with reference to what we are doingwith our staff, take the temperature of the visitor, and have him/her use the disposable cups. Your understanding will be highly appreciated.
4.Since the courts and arbitration institutions generally tend to delay resumption of work or delay in providing litigation services, if your Company/you are involved in legal proceedings such as litigation, arbitration and hearing before Feb 10, you may authorize the lawyer to apply to the courtand arbitration commissionfor a corresponding extension based on the actual situation. If you are still worried about the period of time after Feb 10, the responsible lawyer can contact the judge or arbitrary tribunal for further extension based on your Company’s/your opinions and make every effort to assist your Company/you to complete your entrusted matters and minimize the disturbing factors.
5.If your Company/you have any legal rights and interests that are or may be significantly affected due to this epidemic, please feel free to contact us at any time. ZHHwill do our best to protect your Company’s/your rights and interests.
As the epidemic continues to spread, all my colleagues at ZHH wish you a good health and will actively assist you to solve legal issues.
May you have a happy new year and a happy family!
ZHH Law Firm
January 31, 2020