Delta Variant and Reopening plans Forum

[Anonymous User]

apparently skadden's doubling down on their september return to office date, citing "culture" and related reasons lol

[Anonymous User]

As a Skadden associate, as soon as my retention bonus clears in June I'm definitely looking into lateraling to a remote firm.

[Anonymous User]

As a Skadden associate, as soon as my retention bonus clears in June I'm definitely looking into lateraling to a remote firm.

100%. At recruiting events, I've spoken with a few 2Ls with offers and the rush to force everyone back to the office is persuading more than one to go to peer firms smh

[Anonymous User]

What are they seriously going to do if you just don’t comply? Especially if you’re transactional.

[Anonymous User]

What are they seriously going to do if you just don’t comply? Especially if you’re transactional.

Lol absolutely nothing. I guess it's easier for me to say this since I'm at a firm that doesn't give a shit where you work from as long as you get your work done, but I just wouldn't comply with any mandate no matter how reasonable it is. I work all the time - at least give me the freedom of where I spend all my hours at.

[Anonymous User]

apparently skadden's doubling down on their september return to office date, citing "culture" and related reasons lol

DPW did the same today.

[Anonymous User]

apparently skadden's doubling down on their september return to office date, citing "culture" and related reasons lol

DPW did the same today.

Can someone send the "culture" memos to ATL? Let the naming and shaming begin.

[Anonymous User]

apparently skadden's doubling down on their september return to office date, citing "culture" and related reasons lol

DPW did the same today.

Can someone send the "culture" memos to ATL? Let the naming and shaming begin.

They've learned to do this weird videos for exactly this reason. Basically like our culture will defeat COVID. LA office is pushed back because they don't a culture strong enough to defeat COVID like NY and others do I guess.

[Anonymous User]

As a Skadden associate, as soon as my retention bonus clears in June I'm definitely looking into lateraling to a remote firm.

100%. At recruiting events, I've spoken with a few 2Ls with offers and the rush to force everyone back to the office is persuading more than one to go to peer firms smh

I chose a peer over Skadden in no small part bc of this. Wasn't the only reason but it was a factor. I do not like what it says about the firms leadership to be pushing a return so aggressively.

[Anonymous User]

my v5 is still targeting Labor Day reopen and is "monitoring" the Delta situation

have since postponed the reopen indefinitely

[Anonymous User]

As a Skadden associate, as soon as my retention bonus clears in June I'm definitely looking into lateraling to a remote firm.

100%. At recruiting events, I've spoken with a few 2Ls with offers and the rush to force everyone back to the office is persuading more than one to go to peer firms smh

I chose a peer over Skadden in no small part bc of this. Wasn't the only reason but it was a factor. I do not like what it says about the firms leadership to be pushing a return so aggressively.

tbh I don't even care about "safety" or whatever, I care about the fact that this past 18 months has been an experiment that proved it to be fundamentally unnecessary to sacrifice my late 20s and 30s to waiting around an office for 14 hours a day to do 10 hours of work (losing 4 hours of your life for nothing), and not being able to see my wife or dog or make myself lunch in the little breaks you have throughout the day. It's mind boggling to me that these boomer partners need to demand to be able to walk into my office rather than call me, etc. Before COVID, at least they could argue "it's always been like this so this is how it is" -- now they have no excuse.

[Anonymous User]

The morale at Skadden is really very low right now. It has been for a while and the retention bonuses did not help. This back to the office thing makes it even worse…

Apparently there were at least 2 separate covid cases in the NY office not too long ago and not too far apart and multiple people were exposed. The firm did not send an email out or anything letting people know (at least I did not get one (but I have not been in the office at all)). A week or so later Eric’s email came in saying we are all going back as planned.

[Anonymous User]

Who else other than Skadden and DPW is still holding out? This is nuts

[Anonymous User]

What's the likelihood that the firms that have pushed later into the fall extend further?

My firm pushed from September to November a few weeks ago, but it seems unlikely the covid situation will be significantly improved in November. Are we gonna be out all year?

[bajablast]

As a Skadden associate, as soon as my retention bonus clears in June I'm definitely looking into lateraling to a remote firm.

100%. At recruiting events, I've spoken with a few 2Ls with offers and the rush to force everyone back to the office is persuading more than one to go to peer firms smh

I chose a peer over Skadden in no small part bc of this. Wasn't the only reason but it was a factor. I do not like what it says about the firms leadership to be pushing a return so aggressively.

tbh I don't even care about "safety" or whatever, I care about the fact that this past 18 months has been an experiment that proved it to be fundamentally unnecessary to sacrifice my late 20s and 30s to waiting around an office for 14 hours a day to do 10 hours of work (losing 4 hours of your life for nothing), and not being able to see my wife or dog or make myself lunch in the little breaks you have throughout the day. It's mind boggling to me that these boomer partners need to demand to be able to walk into my office rather than call me, etc. Before COVID, at least they could argue "it's always been like this so this is how it is" -- now they have no excuse.

Boomer lawyers hate their families - most of them got married too young and spent all of their youth billing in the office, now they don't even recognize themselves anymore

[Anonymous User]

DPW announced today that while they're going ahead with return to the office effective September 13, there is no longer a requirement to come in a specific number of days every week (or 10 days). They are leaving it to the judgment of lawyers to come in as they think appropriate to maintain a connection with their colleagues.

[Anonymous User]

apparently skadden's doubling down on their september return to office date, citing "culture" and related reasons lol

DPW did the same today.

Can someone send the "culture" memos to ATL? Let the naming and shaming begin.

They've learned to do this weird videos for exactly this reason. Basically like our culture will defeat COVID. LA office is pushed back because they don't a culture strong enough to defeat COVID like NY and others do I guess.

"Our culture will defeat COVID"?? Are they fxxking kidding??? Why is Skadden so stupid? Someone needs to teach them to respect science. Just look at recent death tolls. Obviously cases and deaths are hitting all time high this winter.

[Anonymous User]

DPW announced today that while they're going ahead with return to the office effective September 13, there is no longer a requirement to come in a specific number of days every week (or 10 days). They are leaving it to the judgment of lawyers to come in as they think appropriate to maintain a connection with their colleagues.

What does this mean? If you have a return to office but no requirement of being in the office for a specific number of days, isn't that basically optional?

[Anonymous User]

DPW announced today that while they're going ahead with return to the office effective September 13, there is no longer a requirement to come in a specific number of days every week (or 10 days). They are leaving it to the judgment of lawyers to come in as they think appropriate to maintain a connection with their colleagues.

What does this mean? If you have a return to office but no requirement of being in the office for a specific number of days, isn't that basically optional?

Yeah... They basically just don't want to renounce their policy and look stupid.

[Anonymous User]

DPW announced today that while they're going ahead with return to the office effective September 13, there is no longer a requirement to come in a specific number of days every week (or 10 days). They are leaving it to the judgment of lawyers to come in as they think appropriate to maintain a connection with their colleagues.

What does this mean? If you have a return to office but no requirement of being in the office for a specific number of days, isn't that basically optional?

Yeah... They basically just don't want to renounce their policy and look stupid.

It still might not be a great look, but overall I don't know if it's an unreasonable policy (assuming interpretation is correct and office is open but coming into the office is truly optional). My firm's office has been technically open for several months, but going in is optional until at least November, and everyone has been pretty much fine with it.

[Anonymous User]

Skadden really wants to die on this hill. I know of several somewhat irreplaceable associates that already left for full remote positions that Skadden wouldn't match. Once that June bonus hits, I'm sure more are out. Absolutely no need to go back to office when there are firms paying market that are ok with remote.

[Anonymous User]

DPW announced today that while they're going ahead with return to the office effective September 13, there is no longer a requirement to come in a specific number of days every week (or 10 days). They are leaving it to the judgment of lawyers to come in as they think appropriate to maintain a connection with their colleagues.

What does this mean? If you have a return to office but no requirement of being in the office for a specific number of days, isn't that basically optional?

Yeah... They basically just don't want to renounce their policy and look stupid.

I wasn't sure what to take away from the framing of the email, in that it said basically "the plan is still as we announced in July, except associates and counsel [bold in original] can use their judgment."

[Anonymous User]

DPW announced today that while they're going ahead with return to the office effective September 13, there is no longer a requirement to come in a specific number of days every week (or 10 days). They are leaving it to the judgment of lawyers to come in as they think appropriate to maintain a connection with their colleagues.

What does this mean? If you have a return to office but no requirement of being in the office for a specific number of days, isn't that basically optional?

Yeah... They basically just don't want to renounce their policy and look stupid.

I wasn't sure what to take away from the framing of the email, in that it said basically "the plan is still as we announced in July, except associates and counsel [bold in original] can use their judgment."

I read it as saying return to office is indeed optional, but associates are responsible for their choices because there might be negative consequences in terms of career progression etc.

[Anonymous User]

DPW announced today that while they're going ahead with return to the office effective September 13, there is no longer a requirement to come in a specific number of days every week (or 10 days). They are leaving it to the judgment of lawyers to come in as they think appropriate to maintain a connection with their colleagues.

What does this mean? If you have a return to office but no requirement of being in the office for a specific number of days, isn't that basically optional?

Yeah... They basically just don't want to renounce their policy and look stupid.

I wasn't sure what to take away from the framing of the email, in that it said basically "the plan is still as we announced in July, except associates and counsel [bold in original] can use their judgment."

I read it as saying return to office is indeed optional, but associates are responsible for their choices because there might be negative consequences in terms of career progression etc.

I was told it was worded this way because the original policy (requiring 3-4 days in the office) still applies to partners, and the increased flexibility is only for counsel/associates.

[Anonymous User]

Someone post the entire email?