We at The Thornton Firm are as concerned as the next citizen when it comes to dealing with the ongoing health crisis affecting our nation. We are doing our best to stay informed as events develop.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has issued guidelines for “community mitigation strategies” to limit the spread of COVID-19, the disease caused by this novel strain of coronavirus. These guidelines include recommendations for “social distancing.” In a nutshell, social distancing is an effort to reduce close contact between people. The objective of of social distancing is to prevent community transmission of the virus to our more vulnerable citizens.

At present, the United States Patent and Trademark Office is closed to the public. However, all USPTO personnel are still either working on-site or are working in a telecommute capacity. The United States District Court for the District of Nevada has issued temporary restrictions regarding entrance to the courthouse. Schools and businesses alike are temporarily closing in the Las Vegas valley and beyond. It cannot be emphasized how seriously this is being taken at the federal, state and local levels.

The Thornton Firm will remain open for business during this crisis. We will, however, be taking proactive steps to prevent community spread of the virus. First and foremost, we will be placing a greater emphasis on telephone conferencing over in-person meetings. Second, we will be relying on email communication to a greater extent than we already do. We will still be meeting with our current and prospective clients and providing in-person services, just at reduced rate. We believe that these measures, in conjunction with current CDC recommendations, will allow us to serve our clients and the public interest until this crisis has passed.

We’re all in this together. Please do your part to help.