Vine Attorney Search is frequently asked by candidates what the firm back to the office policies are. In Big Law, we have found that many attorneys overwhelmingly want more flexibility and don’t want more than three days mandated in the office.
A recent study from American Lawyer even shows that many attorneys are leaving their firms because of inflexible office policies. Some respondents mentioned that many firms aren’t enforcing their policies and said they’d leave if managers cracked down. According to several partners, these rules are rooted in partners’ outdated perceptions of what a legal firm’s workplace should look like. Law firms are no exception to the rule that employers must maintain retention rates and reduce turnover.
When evaluating the success of remote working for legal professionals, consider it from three perspectives; the firm’s, the attorney’s, and the client’s. Many firms have been largely successful in the transition to working from home as a result of crisis. Their clients are still getting the same high-quality work, and the attorneys themselves are just as productive, if not more so. The only drawback is that some of the personal interaction between attorney and client is lost.
However, many large firms would like to convert back entirely to in-person employment while smaller, boutique businesses are more nimbly able to navigate the difficulties of remote versus in-person employment, as well as being more adaptable should regulations and safety directives alter.
It’s no surprise that many employees are choosing to stay at home rather than go back to work. It is simply more convenient for many to complete job activities and fulfill all of one’s personal responsibilities in today’s world from the comfort of one’s own home than going into the office for no reason.
Some bosses appear to be acknowledging employees’ decisions not to return to the workplace. Some managers, on the other hand, are sending clear but more often than not indirect signals that they want their staff to return to the office. In today’s climate, an explicit command to return to work is not desirable for PR.
Overall, many attorneys just want the decision of whether to return to the office or not. When deciding on new opportunities, make sure you know those firm policies and see if they align with your needs or desires. At Vine Attorney Search, we believe that lawyers should have the flexibility to work where and when they are most productive. If you are interested in learning more about opportunities with firms that have flexible back-to-office policies, please contact us today. We would be happy to discuss your options with you.
Study found by Roe, Dan. “Fitzcarraldo.” Law, 05 May. 2022, https://www.law.com/americanlawyer/2022/05/05/want-to-thin-your-law-firms-head-count-mandate-3-or-more-days-of-office-attendance/. Accessed 13 May. 2022.
