No Pants? No Problem  – The Rise of Remote Working at Law Firms

The pandemic brought the world to a halt in an unprecedented way and therefore all businesses were forced to adjust to a new way of working.

Initially, the legal profession was resistant to the idea of remote working but had no choice due to the circumstances. However, now firms are taking steps to adapt their workplaces to post-pandemic life. The shift from the office to working from home is a huge transformation to the traditional business model of law firms but the benefits are hard to dispute.

More than two years on, the impact of the pandemic remains. Although most countries have lifted the imposed restrictions and employees are returning to the office in some capacity, Lawyers’ opinions to the requirement to attend the office on a full-time basis has shifted dramatically. As a result, many firms have adjusted to this new way of work.

Do Lawyers Want to be Remote?

The change comes as Lawyers working in large law firms are committed to working remotely, with almost half willing to walk away if told they had to attend the office full-time, according to a survey by BigHand. The survey, canvassed the views of 836 leaders in UK and US firms with over 50 Lawyers. 45% of staff would look for a new job if told they had to attend the office full-time. Almost as many would leave if they had to work at the office more than three days a week. The authors concluded: “Two years spent working from home have reminded people of the importance of a better work-life balance.”

Ultimately, the pandemic has shown Lawyers that they do not require an office to work practically because, with the advancement of technology such as Microsoft Teams and Zoom, remote working has been made possible and productive. A staff survey by Eversheds Sutherland found that 84% of its UK staff said they had “the same or better ability to develop skills and knowledge while working at home.”

As well as work-life balance being a main factor in the importance of remote working for Lawyers, it also provides flexibility to choose hours which suit their lifestyle and family, reduces commutes thus saving time and money, offers less exposure to Covid-19 and reduces stress levels. According to research conducted by Flex Jobs, 87% of professionals say that a flexible job would reduce their stress. Secondly, 97% say that a job with flexibility would have a positive impact on their overall quality of life.

Why Some Firms Favour a Remote Working Space

In addition to Lawyers’ work satisfaction, remote working has many business benefits for the firm. According to the 2019 IWG Global Workplace Survey, 85% of employers confirm that productivity has increased in their business as a result of greater flexibility. By adopting long-term remote working practices, law firms can boost their productivity and, in turn, increase their profits. Firms also increase their talent pools by offering remote working, as the office limits them to employees who can commute to that geographic area.

Remote working provides Lawyers with increased productivity, improved mental health and greater work-life balance, whilst firms can enjoy wider access to talent and profit growth for firms. Combine this with technology allowing remote working to be as practical as working in the office, we may find that in the near-future, law firms with remote working policies will be viewed as more desirable by Lawyers than those without.