Skadden New WFH Policy Forum

[Anonymous User]

Exec partner just posted video on new policy:

INTRO:

1. WFH means harder to build personal connections (fair)
2. Our culture is what makes us special (fair)
3. But this doesn't mean being in the office 5 days a week (YAY)
4. EDIT I totally read this wrong. Most partners wanted 4-5 days in office, most associated wanted 1-2.

NEW POLICY:

1. IN OFFICE at least 3 days a week, expected to live close to a Skadden office
2. Sometimes clients will need more or personal circumstances will necessitate less
3. Need to be licensed where you live (firm will provide licensing help)
4. If you moved closer to a different office, we are OK with you moving offices
5. Support staff back in office after Labor Day
6. New guidelines start 2nd week of September for US offices

Overall pretty happy with this. Seems like leadership was listening.

[Anonymous User]

This isnt great. The whole "client needs" portion leads me to believe this will just bleed into a 5 day work week.

[lolwutpar]

Are there even practices that regularly have in person client contact? The "client needs" line is such a bogeyman.

[Anonymous User]

This isnt great. The whole "client needs" portion leads me to believe this will just bleed into a 5 day work week.

OP here--maybe that will be, but I was really struck by how most partners wanted to LESS time in the office so that makes me optimistic this will stick. Overall I was happy with the tone of the message, which was, we tried WFH and you all killed at it, let's make that part of our plan going forward.

On the client piece, I mean for lit practices, you have hearings, depos, court, etc. For corp, you have printer sessions, client meetings, kick off meetings, etc. so sometimes you do need to be in more than 3 days a week.

[Anonymous User]

4. VERY INTERESTING - survey results shows a plurality PARTNERS wanted in office 1-3 days a week. A plurality of ASSOCIATES wanted 4-5 days in office (weird!)

Think you might have read the results backward. Question was "how often would you like to work remotely," not "how often would you like to work in office". Plurality of associates wanted full remote (nearly a majority), and plurality of partners wanted 3-4 day in-office workweeks.

RESULTS:

Work remotely 4-5 days a week (in office 0-1 day): ASSOCIATES 43%, COUNSEL 28%, PARTNERS 12%
Work remotely 2-3 days a week (in office 2-3 days): ASSOCIATES 31%, COUNSEL 38%, PARTNER 24%
Work remotely 1-2 days a week (in office 3-4 days): ASSOCIATES 21%, COUNSEL 24%, PARTNER 35%
Work remotely a couple of days a month (full time in office with minor flex): ASSOCIATES 3%, COUNSEL 7%, PARTNER 14%

Straight up full time pre-covid approach: ASSOCIATES 3%, COUNSEL 3%, PARTNER 16%

[Anonymous User]

4. VERY INTERESTING - survey results shows a plurality PARTNERS wanted in office 1-3 days a week. A plurality of ASSOCIATES wanted 4-5 days in office (weird!)

Think you might have read the results backward. Question was "how often would you like to work remotely," not "how often would you like to work in office". Plurality of associates wanted full remote (nearly a majority), and plurality of partners wanted 3-4 day in-office workweeks.

RESULTS:

Work remotely 4-5 days a week (in office 0-1 day): ASSOCIATES 43%, COUNSEL 28%, PARTNERS 12%
Work remotely 2-3 days a week (in office 2-3 days): ASSOCIATES 31%, COUNSEL 38%, PARTNER 24%
Work remotely 1-2 days a week (in office 3-4 days): ASSOCIATES 21%, COUNSEL 24%, PARTNER 35%
Work remotely a couple of days a month (full time in office with minor flex): ASSOCIATES 3%, COUNSEL 7%, PARTNER 14%

Straight up full time pre-covid approach: ASSOCIATES 3%, COUNSEL 3%, PARTNER 16%

Wow did I...what a flub. Well in that case I'm much less optimistic it will stick. Guess I will enjoy WFH while it lasts.

[Anonymous User]

What I don't understand is what kind of psychopaths partners must be to want to force associates back to office. For a full year they've made more money than they've ever made in a year, the associates have been hyper responsive, all cylinders firing, etc. So they sit there in their multi-million dollar homes (or in the office they are voluntarily commuting to on their own), lean back, and go "Yeah, fuck these 27-33 year olds trying to start a family life etc., I would much rather they be chained to their desks like the good old days." If I stay in this space for more than a nominal number of days after freeing myself from debt shackles and start becoming like these partners, plz shoot me.

[Anonymous User]

Fire up the resumes boiiiiii. Also, who is waiting for DPW to announce a 2 day work week?

[Anonymous User]

What I don't understand is what kind of psychopaths partners must be to want to force associates back to office. For a full year they've made more money than they've ever made in a year, the associates have been hyper responsive, all cylinders firing, etc. So they sit there in their multi-million dollar homes (or in the office they are voluntarily commuting to on their own), lean back, and go "Yeah, fuck these 27-33 year olds trying to start a family life etc., I would much rather they be chained to their desks like the good old days." If I stay in this space for more than a nominal number of days after freeing myself from debt shackles and start becoming like these partners, plz shoot me.

I mean I do understand and agree that especially for juniors, you learn a lot more and build a lot more camaraderie if you're in office with everyone else.

That said, I don't see why you can't do that 3-4 days a week and WFH Fridays.

[Wubbles]

4. VERY INTERESTING - survey results shows a plurality PARTNERS wanted in office 1-3 days a week. A plurality of ASSOCIATES wanted 4-5 days in office (weird!)

Think you might have read the results backward. Question was "how often would you like to work remotely," not "how often would you like to work in office". Plurality of associates wanted full remote (nearly a majority), and plurality of partners wanted 3-4 day in-office workweeks.

RESULTS:

Work remotely 4-5 days a week (in office 0-1 day): ASSOCIATES 43%, COUNSEL 28%, PARTNERS 12%
Work remotely 2-3 days a week (in office 2-3 days): ASSOCIATES 31%, COUNSEL 38%, PARTNER 24%
Work remotely 1-2 days a week (in office 3-4 days): ASSOCIATES 21%, COUNSEL 24%, PARTNER 35%
Work remotely a couple of days a month (full time in office with minor flex): ASSOCIATES 3%, COUNSEL 7%, PARTNER 14%

Straight up full time pre-covid approach: ASSOCIATES 3%, COUNSEL 3%, PARTNER 16%

Biggest takeaway from this is that some associates want literally little to no flexibility. Were the responses linked to specific people and some were trying to kiss ass?

[TLSReturntoWork]

4. VERY INTERESTING - survey results shows a plurality PARTNERS wanted in office 1-3 days a week. A plurality of ASSOCIATES wanted 4-5 days in office (weird!)

Think you might have read the results backward. Question was "how often would you like to work remotely," not "how often would you like to work in office". Plurality of associates wanted full remote (nearly a majority), and plurality of partners wanted 3-4 day in-office workweeks.

RESULTS:

Work remotely 4-5 days a week (in office 0-1 day): ASSOCIATES 43%, COUNSEL 28%, PARTNERS 12%
Work remotely 2-3 days a week (in office 2-3 days): ASSOCIATES 31%, COUNSEL 38%, PARTNER 24%
Work remotely 1-2 days a week (in office 3-4 days): ASSOCIATES 21%, COUNSEL 24%, PARTNER 35%
Work remotely a couple of days a month (full time in office with minor flex): ASSOCIATES 3%, COUNSEL 7%, PARTNER 14%

Straight up full time pre-covid approach: ASSOCIATES 3%, COUNSEL 3%, PARTNER 16%

Biggest takeaway from this is that some associates want literally little to no flexibility. Were the responses linked to specific people and some were trying to kiss ass?

A lot of them probably read the question wrong like OP and thought the question was asking the opposite.

+1 to the post about being a psychopath and making people come back. So fucking cruel to make people come back if there is no need.

-1 to the post about how juniors need in person to feel camraderie. I like and feel liked by my colleagues well-enough remotely, and being remote hasn't stopped me from building a raport.

[Anonymous User]

Not impressed, probably going to lateral so I can continue having some work/life balance. WFH offers are out there.

[Anonymous User]

Is Skadden seriously bragging about its culture? And OP is gobbling it all up like a good little lemming? (Fair) lmao

[Anonymous User]

If you work out of an office where your deal teams aren't situated, are they really going to care or know when you are in the office? My money is on people are forced back to offices where their deal teams are with rare exceptions

[lavarman84]

Is Skadden seriously bragging about its culture? And OP is gobbling it all up like a good little lemming? (Fair) lmao

You sound bitter that you aren't a part of Skadden's special culture. That's a big part of what makes it such an elite firm. I know I've seen many lawyers from other, less prestigious firms bemoaning how their cultures just don't compare. If you were just a little bit more impressive, maybe Skadden would let you be part of the club. But alas, it's the exclusivity that makes Skadden special.

[Anonymous User]

If my office (which had no formal and little informal facetime requirement before COVID) follows suit with a 3x weekly expectation, I will be calling recruiters that day. Hope Skadden associates are doing the same to put the brakes on this before it becomes the industry standard.

[dyemond]

Are there even practices that regularly have in person client contact? The "client needs" line is such a bogeyman.

Biz dev for senior associates (thinking years 6+), but that's really about it. Certain banks require diligence to be performed onsite.

Realistically "client needs" here translates to "partner likes people to be in a conference room during deal signings".