Yesterday we noted some of the business problems that the Icelandic volcano was afflicting upon BBC readers. Today, it’s Portfolio.com’s turn.

Portfolio.com looks at some of the issues that small-medium businesses are having with key personnel stranded in foreign offices.

Pittsburgh’s two largest law firms both have international operations and were affected by the airways shutdown.

K&L Gates Chairman and Global Managing Partner Peter Kalis, traveling in Europe last week, is stuck in London and working from its offices there.

“I was scheduled on the Delta to Pittsburgh Friday flight, which was shut down along with all other flights in Northern Europe,” Kalis said via e-mail. “Nothing has flown since. I got one of the last available tickets on the EuroStar on Friday and came to London to wait it out.”

Kalis said there has been some disruption to K&L Gates’ business “which depends in part upon addressing our clients’ cross-border needs in Europe.” It has offices in Paris, Frankfurt, Berlin, Warsaw and Moscow, as well as London.

“ But we’re able to make maximum use of technology and achieve an acceptable level of virtual service under the circumstances,” Kalis said.