Ed. note: Welcome to our daily feature, Quote of the Day.
After two years of a pandemic, it’s hard to put the horse back in the barn on this issue. The pandemic complicated things in the sense of—and this is what the challenge continues to be—getting people to realize the benefits of in-person culture and collaboration.
— Michael Schmidt, co-managing partner of Cozen O’Connor’s New York office, in comments given to the American Lawyer on the firm’s hybrid work policies. Cozen is currently “recommending” that associates spend at least three each week in the office, rather than requiring their presence. “We are trying to come up with different ways to incentivize our people. We have an obligation to promote the virtues of coming into the office,” he said. “On the other hand, we are professionals. It’s incumbent on professionals to realize that they are not solo practitioners. The challenge this year and beyond is where to strike that balance.” Two-thirds of firms are “strongly” recommending that employees come to the office two to three days a week, while one-fifth require the same.
Staci Zaretsky is a senior editor at Above the Law, where she’s worked since 2011. She’d love to hear from you, so please feel free to email her with any tips, questions, comments, or critiques. You can follow her on Twitter or connect with her on LinkedIn.
