American Lawyer: Lauren Drake on the Return to Office Reality for Partners
Are law firms succeeding in their push to bring attorneys back into the office? Lauren Drake shared her thoughts on the matter with The American Lawyer.
Here’s an excerpt from the article:
With most of Big Law implementing hybrid work policies, some law firms are continuing to ramp up pressure on office attendance in the early part of 2023, firm recruiters and analysts say.
The needle was already moving in that direction late last year, as law firms largely saw a dip in demand and anticipated economic challenges, while some even announced layoffs. But as employers continue to gain leverage, observers say the pushback on remote work could continue to increase. Law firms are being more open about tying pay or bonuses to office attendance.
One recruiter said she began to get significant pushback on partner candidates who wanted to work remotely last year and she expects to see more going forward if the economic crunch continues.
“What I’m hearing from law firms — a real frustration is that law firm leaders do want people back in the office, and they want it for partners as well,” said Lauren Drake, a legal recruiter and partner at Macrae in Washington, D.C.
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Drake noted she works primarily with partners and said that she never saw a total embrace of completely remote hires at that level. But prior to the pandemic, “I don’t think anyone would’ve even suggested it,” she said. Since then, some candidates have approached her and her recruiting firm saying that was their preferred arrangement, even if it limited opportunities.
She said they’ve mostly been able to place those partners.
“But I think that there’s going to continue to be pushback on that, and more. Not just because of the economy, which is certainly part of it,” Drake said. “But that’s with respect to associates and who has the leverage, and with layoffs and all of that. People start to worry — and maybe [lawyers are] more cooperative” with what firms want, she said.
We encourage you to read the article in full here: Big Law is Ramping Up Pressure on Office Work in 2023
