Omicron and RTO Forum

[Anonymous User]

White & Case was also in a trial period during the fall. They asked us to come in 2-3 days a week. I managed 1x in Oct and 3x in November. They were going to announce a permanent policy on WFH but then that never happened. Then Omicron hit. First, we returned to full WFH between Xmas & NYE. Now it's full remote until the end of January (at least). Firms are just embarrassing themselves trying to force us to come into the office during cold and flu season during the middle of a global pandemic.

Nobody wants to come back to the office. I started working in BL at a different firm almost 2 years ago now and almost all of my days have been virtual. Stop saying "the juniors need us." The juniors have been operating virtually for the entire pandemic. Nobody has pulled me to join them on a call when I'm in the office because nobody comes into the office. Just declare wfh permanently like Quinn Emmanuel (I heard) and let us flee these high COL areas.

[Anonymous User]

Covington WFH for all of January

[Anonymous User]

Kirkland backtracks and returns to WFH until Feb. 14, blaming Omicron.

[Anonymous User]

Jones Day DC just went to optional WFH from 12/22 until 1/7, after having been in the office since 11/1.

[Anonymous User]

Kirkland backtracks and returns to WFH until Feb. 14, blaming Omicron.

What a kind of odd and aggressive way to frame this up. It’s a good approach they took. And it’s “at least” Feb 14 with a pretty specific indication that if things haven’t calmed down that will be extended further and a pretty specific acknowledgment that the return to the office didn’t go very well.

[Anonymous User]

Perkins Coie just pushed back RTO to February 28, but we are being so flexible going forward that I highly doubt many people will feel any pressure to be in the office regularly at any point.

[Anonymous User]

MoFo has taken this wonderful opportunity to tell us that they’ve decided Feb 7 is the date we will all be required to spend 1 day in the office per week. And that day to be decided by MoFo! And they also say that down the road, MoFo will decide when it will require a second day for all attorneys in the office! Hate this place.

different MoFo anon, still laughing at this. they'll inevitably walk it back given Omicron, but knowing this went through multiple layers of people and they still hit send this week. brilliant.

[Anonymous User]

Milbank has been >3 days in office since the beginning of November. The firm has not said a word about omicron. Absolutely ridiculous.

[Anonymous User]

Skadden went RTO a few months ago but a few days ago went back to WFH until Jan 18 (so, cancelled RTO for a month over Omicron)

[Anonymous User]

.

[Anonymous User]

PW has had RTO 3 days a week since 11/1 but is back to WFH (though you can still come in if vaccinated/boosted) through “at least 1/24.”

[Anonymous User]

White & Case was also in a trial period during the fall. They asked us to come in 2-3 days a week. I managed 1x in Oct and 3x in November. They were going to announce a permanent policy on WFH but then that never happened. Then Omicron hit. First, we returned to full WFH between Xmas & NYE. Now it's full remote until the end of January (at least). Firms are just embarrassing themselves trying to force us to come into the office during cold and flu season during the middle of a global pandemic.

Nobody wants to come back to the office. I started working in BL at a different firm almost 2 years ago now and almost all of my days have been virtual. Stop saying "the juniors need us." The juniors have been operating virtually for the entire pandemic. Nobody has pulled me to join them on a call when I'm in the office because nobody comes into the office. Just declare wfh permanently like Quinn Emmanuel (I heard) and let us flee these high COL areas.

Here Here!

[Anonymous User]

Curious 3L here -- now that omicron wave appears to be subsiding (in NYC), what is the current state of play for biglaw RTO? Have any large NY offices talked about bringing people back in yet?

[Anonymous User]

Curious 3L here -- now that omicron wave appears to be subsiding (in NYC), what is the current state of play for biglaw RTO? Have any large NY offices talked about bringing people back in yet?

Skadden brought people back 3x/week starting in September, then suspended that and allowed full WFH in mid-December due to the Omicron surge. The current plan is to resume 3x/week starting Monday, but that was already extended once and could be again.

I'm pretty sure SullCrom came back before Skadden did, but I don't know their current status.

[Anonymous User]

Realistically (if you’re not gunning for partner) what are the ramifications of just staying WFH even when firms announce hybrid RTO plans? These firms are struggling to get bodies in the door, they aren’t going to fire associates in good standing who just aren’t coming into the office…at least not for a long time.

[Anonymous User]

Realistically (if you’re not gunning for partner) what are the ramifications of just staying WFH even when firms announce hybrid RTO plans? These firms are struggling to get bodies in the door, they aren’t going to fire associates in good standing who just aren’t coming into the office…at least not for a long time.

Indeed. This is what I'm doing. I'll admit I've kind of misrepresented the issue to my firm (I've told them I'm very afraid to RTO, whilst, in truth, it's mainly just that I enjoy WFH and I don't see why I'd have to take a risk for their benefit). They've told me it's fine for the time being. Most people I know are back in the office, and one partner does bring it up sometime ("No plans to come into the office, eh?") indicating there is a preference for me to come in, but until I hear they're thinking of letting me go, it's not happening. And even then, I might just try to find a firm which allows me to WFH. Indeed, I know I have zero chance of making partner, but that was never my plan anyway.

[Anonymous User]

Any insight into RTO at Gibson, Hogan, or Arnold & Porter (particularly in DC)?

[Anonymous User]

Any insight into RTO at Gibson, Hogan, or Arnold & Porter (particularly in DC)?

Currently sitting in the DC office of one of those firms. First time back since before Christmas, mostly just because I needed scanner and printer, and this place is a ghost town. Have spoken to some partners about a "soft" RTO some time in February (e.g., come in when you can if you feel like it) but they all know that firm-announced RTO "plans" are all meaningless mush now.

[Anonymous User]

Jones Day DC postponed its RTO from 1/31 to 2/28.

[Sackboy]

Jones Day DC postponed its RTO from 1/31 to 2/28.

I'm genuinely surprised firms are even committing to dates. Mine just said "fuck it, we'll give you thirty days notice when it makes sense", because they have pushed RTO like 6x at this point.

[Anonymous User]

Jones Day DC postponed its RTO from 1/31 to 2/28.

I'm genuinely surprised firms are even committing to dates. Mine just said "fuck it, we'll give you thirty days notice when it makes sense", because they have pushed RTO like 6x at this point.

I mean, we were already in the office after 11/1, so it's more like a R-RTO than a pure RTO. But yeah, it's kind of funny at this point.

[Leif Erikson]

Any insight into RTO at Gibson, Hogan, or Arnold & Porter (particularly in DC)?

Currently sitting in the DC office of one of those firms. First time back since before Christmas, mostly just because I needed scanner and printer, and this place is a ghost town. Have spoken to some partners about a "soft" RTO some time in February (e.g., come in when you can if you feel like it) but they all know that firm-announced RTO "plans" are all meaningless mush now.

Would you mind specifying which firm? Feel free to PM.

[Anonymous User]

DPW is "officially' reopening (again) next week on Feb 1 with a requirement to get boosted. No idea if people are actually going in