The momentum for a four-day, in-office mandate is choosing up steam in Biglaw. Simply this week, A&O Shearman introduced that, starting on September 2nd, attorneys can have a face time requirement of 4 days per week, up from the in-office three-days per week rule that the agency beforehand employed.
As per the agency’s assertion on the matter:
This replace acknowledges the very important position in-person interplay performs within the skilled improvement, mentorship, coaching, and teamwork of our individuals, and serves to keep up the robust tradition that underpins the standard of our work and consumer service.
It additionally aligns with a broader shift within the authorized business and amongst a lot of our purchasers, who’ve adopted comparable approaches to in-office work within the U.S., whereas persevering with to help a versatile working surroundings.
We stay centered on guaranteeing our individuals have the instruments, surroundings, and help they should thrive, each individually and collectively.
A&O is true {that a} four-day, in-office coverage is trending in Biglaw. Hogan Lovells; Davis Polk; Latham; Paul Weiss; Ropes & Gray; Simpson Thacher; Skadden; Vinson & Elkins; Weil Gotshal; WilmerHale; White & Case; and Sidley all have a four-day, in-person attendance coverage. And Sullivan & Cromwell really goes a step additional and mandates 5 days within the workplace.
And with this broader pattern — in addition to a tightening job market — associates’ avenues to withstand the four-day mandate are lessening. That is the brand new, new regular and associates must acclimate in the event that they wish to keep in Biglaw.
A minimum of the agency is ready till September when the worst warmth of the summer season is over earlier than calling everybody again to the workplace.
As quickly as you discover out about workplace attendance plans at your agency, please email us (topic line: “[Firm Name] Workplace Reopening”) or textual content us at (646) 820-8477. We all the time preserve our sources on tales nameless. There’s no must ship a memo (if one exists) utilizing your agency electronic mail account; your private electronic mail account is ok. If a memo has been circulated, please you should definitely embody it as proof; we prefer to put up full memos as a service to our readers. You may take a photograph of the memo and fasten as an image in case you are frightened about metadata in a PDF or Phrase file. Thanks.
Kathryn Rubino is a Senior Editor at Above the Regulation, host of The Jabot podcast, and co-host of Thinking Like A Lawyer. AtL tipsters are the most effective, so please join together with her. Be at liberty to electronic mail her with any suggestions, questions, or feedback and comply with her on Twitter @Kathryn1 or Mastodon @[email protected].
