Is litigation or corporate easier to do remotely? Forum

[MrLions]

Ceteris paribus, is it easier to work remotely if you're in a biglaw litigation group or a biglaw corporate group? Or would face-time requirements be about the same?

[Excellent117]

There is not a single thing I do in my corporate practice that requires me to be in an office setting in order to get it done. Not really knowing what litigators do on a day-to-day basis whatsoever, I have to imagine the clear answer here is corporate.

[Anonymous User]

Ceteris paribus

[Definitely Not North]

^ accidental anon

[MrLions]

"All else equal" -- better?

[replevin123]

"All else equal" -- better?

Yes. Justified or not, like it or not, latin phrases like ceteris paribus signal affectation and aloofness. Sometimes a latin phrase is necessary or appropriate because it actually adds something above the closest English translation or because it is a term of art. But that doesn't apply here.

[Definitely Not North]

"All else equal" -- better?

Yes. Justified or not, like it or not, latin phrases like ceteris paribus signal affectation and aloofness. Sometimes a latin phrase is necessary or appropriate because it actually adds something above the closest English translation or because it is a term of art. But that doesn't apply here.

Yes and it's also suuuuper cringey and try-hard when lawyers try to sprinkle them in to regular, non-legal brief writing/talking. it does not sound cool. you're not a wizard

[Prudent_Jurist]

Let OP do their thing without chastising them.

What’s prima facie worse than using Latin is derailing OP’s thread and chastising them for something irrelevant to the topic. Qui sine peccato est vestrum primus in illam lapidem mittat. (John 8:7).

[Auxilio]

I think corporate has less *need* to ever be in the office. Like you aren't printing out briefs/motions/attending depos/prepping clients for depos etc.

But I wouldn't be at all surprised if the average corporate partner was more into talking through deal logistics in person etc.

Also, you are much more likely to have all nighters as corporate and if that is with a partner who wants face time it gets rough.

[MrLions]

I think corporate has less *need* to ever be in the office. Like you aren't printing out briefs/motions/attending depos/prepping clients for depos etc.

But I wouldn't be at all surprised if the average corporate partner was more into talking through deal logistics in person etc.

Also, you are much more likely to have all nighters as corporate and if that is with a partner who wants face time it gets rough.

Thanks, Auxilio. This makes sense. FWIW, I know of a V10 mid-level/senior associate who did funds work and was permanently remote even before Covid--probably not super common though. In general, I'm hoping partners allow more flexibility regarding remote work in the future, e.g. 1-2 days/wk remote as the standard.

[Anonymous User]

"All else equal" -- better?

Yeah way better. The cringe level was through the roofs and I live on the 8th floor of a 50-story building.

[Anonymous User]

At my firm, the transactional groups are much more relaxed than the litigation group. I am still WFH and doubt I’ll go in more than 3 days a week going forward. The litigators have been going in since March.

[RaceJudicata]

At my firm, the transactional groups are much more relaxed than the litigation group. I am still WFH and doubt I’ll go in more than 3 days a week going forward. The litigators have been going in since March.

That’s terrible.

[cavalier1138]

I'd assume corporate because litigation prima facie has, inter alia, elements that (once the pandemic is over) will always require you to leave your domus. Although we've been doing remote depositions, appearances, et cetera, that's always been understood to be temporary, not ad infinitum.

Corpus delicti. E pluribus unum. Veni, vidi, vici.