Alexander Shunnarah expects fewer people will need him this month, so the Alabama lawyer known for his prolific and iconic billboards and television commercials urging people to “Call Me Alabama” says he is dialing back on the ads.

Why?

The potential for new clients needing the services of a personal injury lawyer should be less this month due to the coronavirus and resulting shelter-at-home orders across the region, says Shunnarah, whose firm now stretches across five states. More people working from home and fewer cars on the roads, translates to fewer accidents, and fewer work-related mishaps.

“I have cut back on my advertising and marketing for the month of April,” said Shunnarah, who didn’t provide a percent. “I have not eliminated it all,” he quickly added. “It wouldn’t make good economic sense to advertise to the level that we were when 75 percent of the people are at home.”

Like other businesses around Alabama and the nation, some of the more than 18,000 lawyers around the state are struggling to meet payroll and trim expenses while still trying to get justice for their clients in a court system basically shut down for almost all in-person hearings this month and maybe longer.

“The coronavirus has affected all industries, and the legal profession is no different,” Phillip McCallum, executive director of the Alabama State Bar, said in response to questions from AL.com. “Many lawyers are working around the clock to help clients navigate the uncharted legal waters brought about by COVID-19. They are helping others at the same time they are grappling with the significant effects on their own operations, like navigating the challenges of working remotely, learning and implementing new technology to meet with and respond to clients through video conference.”

Law firms also are bracing for long-term economic impacts, McCallum said. “The demand for some legal services will be boosted, but others could suffer a substantial decrease in their workload. We are actively in contact with our members to let them know about small business resources and loans available to them.”

Some of the smaller firms with just one or a few employees are already feeling the pinch.

“Courts are basically closed, and I am not able to make a living,” said Birmingham attorney Jeffrey D. Bramer, who has a solo practice. “I have had several telephone conferences in federal court but (I’m) unable to attend court. I will be unable to make payroll or pay my expenses in May.”

Bramer also serves as prosecutor for Mountain Brook’s municipal court, “so no calls or court so no pay. Private practice is all (a) flat rate and no new cases.”

Besides that work, Bramer is also a judge in the town of Warrior’s municipal court and he expects most of his cases there will be extended into June or later. “What’s bad,” he said, “as a Judge how can I expect people to pay fines and court costs once this is over? Many will have no income and will be buried in debt,” he said.

Jefferson County lawyer Cindy Vines Butler said there is only do so much you can do remotely or via webcam due to constitutional constraints such as due process, right to a speedy trial, and the right to face your accuser. “In addition, in times of economic crisis, the last people to get paid are us sole practitioners (street lawyers). Suddenly, that divorce, custody battle, probate estate, will, deed, etc., can wait a while for most clients. It’s not a good position to be in”

A few larger firms have already trimmed staff or taken measures to cut salaries.

One such firm is Baker, Donelson, Bearman, Caldwell & Berkowitz, PC. in Birmingham.

The firm has been “faced with some very difficult decisions,” said Andy Rotenstreich, shareholder at Baker, Donelson. “We have undertaken a number of measures to ensure the financial stability of the firm moving forward, which includes shareholder reduction in draws and salary that have already been implemented. This will be followed over the next few weeks by temporary salary reductions across the firm and with a furloughing of some employees.”

“We are focused on doing all we can for all of our employees, while also ensuring uninterrupted service to our clients and meeting our temporary operating needs throughout this global crisis and beyond,” Rotenstreich said in a statement to AL.com. “Our hope is that, once this crisis subsides, we will eventually be able to bring the furloughed team members back to Baker Donelson. Until then, we are providing them with support to help minimize the impact of what we know is an extremely trying situation, particularly in these highly uncertain times.”

As for Shunnarah, he said he hasn’t trimmed staff. But he doesn’t expect as many potential new clients will be seeking out his services.

“Are there less cars on the road? Significantly, obviously,” said Shunnarah, who estimates there are an average of about 10,000 accidents on Alabama roadways each month.

While fewer new cases are coming into the firm “we have a lot of work already and it will allow us time to concentrate on that,” Shunnarah said.

“We were prepared for it because we're very tech savvy so we can all work remotely,” said Shunnarah, who works a late shift at his Birmingham headquarters to accomplish social distancing rules. “As the firm has grown, we travel a lot, so we all had to have remote access.”

"Despite all the hurdles, law firms still must represent their clients, Shunnarah said. “We do have our challenges, but we are expected to continue to work as if there is no pandemic.”

For some it has also been a mixed blessing.

Scott Morro, a former police officer turned lawyer, said he’s on a pension from the City of Birmingham and has low overhead at his office so he’s not experiencing as much financial strain. “Got lots of in-office time to catch up on paperwork,” he said. Morro said he’s learning how to use the video conferencing system Zoom as an alternative to in-person hearings.

The current crisis also hasn’t made it easy on Morro and other lawyers to represent their clients, despite advances in technology and the courts allowing that to be used in place of many in-person hearings.

“My Domestic Relations clients are suffering because we can’t get to a judge to resolve issues or punish bad behavior," Morro said. “My criminal clients are stuck in jail or are having their cases postponed. Good for some, bad for others. The civil cases are on hold. The Personnel Board (he represents a number of public servants) is on hold so disciplinary cases aren’t being resolved. The Federal Court cases on the civil side are moving forward because they are mostly pleadings and motions that don’t require court appearances.”

On Wednesday afternoon Presiding Jefferson County Circuit Judge Elisabeth French issued an order that cancelled jury trial weeks through May. She also defined the process for approving bail and for issuing search warrants through judges and magistrates by way of sworn testimony over the phone, Zoom and Facetime. A judge, at his or her discretion, can dispense with the requirement for a written affidavit and can authorize the person seeking the warrant to sign the judge’s name on a duplicate warrant, with the judge signing the original warrant.