What is the future of remote work in the law world?

Thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic, working from home and communicating and collaborating via real-time communication tools has become the norm for many law firms and offices.

The benefits of such arrangements are obvious. People can be safe at home while maintaining their productivity and availability. Additionally, the elimination of lengthy commutes means people get back hours of their day that they would otherwise lose while stuck in traffic or on the train. Some companies and offices even took the opportunity to reduce their real estate footprint, saving money in the long run. Many experts and even established leaders thought there was no turning back and that virtual or hybrid arrangements were here to stay.

However, some companies, including some of the country’s largest, have begged to differ. Citing the need to maintain or maintain office culture and strengthen personal connections, these companies are now mandating a minimum of four days in the office per week.

Several other sectors, especially the financial sector, are doing the same. Even Zoom, one of the key pieces of technology that allowed so many industries to go virtual, has demanded that employees return to the officeaccording to the New York Times.

So is it only a matter of time before we are physically present at the office at least five times a week again? Or will the virtual or hybrid arrangements that have emerged be as resilient as the billable hour?

In this episode of the Podcast for legal rebels, Mark Klendervice president of client engagement at Harbor Global (formerly HBR Consulting) talks to the ABA Journal’s Victor Li about the future of remote work, how firms can promote and maintain their culture when large numbers of their lawyers aren’t coming into the office, and other changes that have taken place in the legal sector.

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