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WHAT WE’RE WATCHING
NO RUSH - Here in the U.S., we’re nearly a year into pandemic-induced remote work. Remarkably, however, while there are certainly folks who are pining for the communal coffee pot, it seems most law firms are not, at the moment, in much more of a hurry to get back into the office than they were last June. As Law.com’s Dan Packel reports, firm leaders are eschewing fixed targets for a return to the office, pointing to inconsistent vaccine rollouts and comfort with the status quo. In fact, a number of firm heads told Packel it’s increasingly likely that virtual work will continue into the summer and even the fall, while they evaluate the potential for Q3 and Q4 office returns. Make no mistake, firm leaders are champing at the bit to bring people back, but caution remains—coupled with the relatively recent realization that the old way of working is likely gone forever. “I had to face the awakening that we were into something much deeper, the changes will be more profound and law firms will have to deal with a new mentality about how they work together and how they work remotely,” said Ronald Shechtman, managing partner and chair of New York City-based Am Law 200 firm Pryor Cashman.
