By Ashley Reyes
Douglas A. Frymer, attorney at Law Offices of Douglas A. Frymer, is the latest ETTN member to share his insight on how his company has changed over the course of the pandemic.
Get to know what tools his company has leaned on and what new trends he is seeing in the industry in his interview with SEMA below.
SEMA: What technology tools, new or old, have you leaned on recently?
Douglas A. Frymer: I relied upon the most common apps for online meetings, such as Zoom and Teams, routinely. Every court, State and Federal, uses some version of telephonic call in, combined with an app, for appearances. And most courts use either a third-party provider or have a version themselves, for mandatory electronic filing. This has made the practice of law faster, and usually more efficient, and reduces court appearance time (but created many filing fees that never were charged before) at the cost of personal interaction and face time with judges, court staff and other attorneys, which is not good for the legal community (being self-policing, relationships that allow for resolving matters, referrals and the like). Ahh, progress.
SEMA: How has the pandemic changed your company?
DF: My clients have struggled and are still struggling. Many are or have been in a holding pattern, not wanting to invest, not wanting to create or design, worried about retaining employees and hiring new. This affects me in terms of contracts and deals to be done, and hesitance to prosecute or defend actions, even where my clients are clearly in the right.
SEMA: What new trends have you noticed within the industry?
DF: More and more electric vehicles of all types, from scooters to cars and trucks, and how these will be powered, speeds and distances. But also, because these have closed, sealed systems, the ability to modify and personalize is a concern.
SEMA: What is the single-best career advice you’ve been given?
DF: Join SEMA and volunteer for councils and committees that match your passion, knowledge base and skill set. This started me in YEN (now FLN), which led to chair, which led to WIC (now WTC) and chair, and now a whole extended crew, nationwide, I’ve grown up with in this industry. And I don’t have to hang out with lawyers. Yes, I’m still drinkin’ the Kool Aid.
Fill out this form for a chance to be featured in the next ETTN member insight. By sharing your experiences, you can inspire and motivate other members to learn new tips and ideas. You may also be featured on ETTN’s social media and in SEMA News.