Biglaw companies proceed to mandate that attorneys have a bodily presence within the workplace, and in current instances, these mandates have utilized firmwide, not simply to particular observe teams. One of many final instances that exact observe teams had been singled out to spend extra time within the workplace was almost three years in the past — however for one prime agency’s company attorneys, that’s all about to alter.
Sources inform us that DLA Piper — a agency that introduced in $4,239,832,000 gross income in 2024, placing it at No. 3 on the Am Regulation 100 — has elevated its in-person attendance coverage to 4 days for its U.S. company attorneys, up from the agency’s three-day mandate that was instituted final yr. That coverage gave observe group leaders discretion to regulate attendance necessities primarily based on present wants. Andrew Gilbert, the agency’s U.S. company observe chair, defined his rationale for the transfer in an electronic mail, saying that the elevated face time would “help our tradition of collaboration, improve mentorship alternatives, and strengthen development and growth.” The brand new attendance necessities will likely be cited in affiliate evaluations.
Frank Ryan, DLA Piper’s world co-chair, world co-CEO, and Americas chair, informed Regulation.com that “[s]ome of it’s associates wanting extra in-office time, a few of it’s simply work ranges. For the company group, it felt like an excellent time to do that.”
It’s unknown right now whether or not every other observe teams have been affected by this new attendance mandate.
Fairly a couple of Biglaw companies at the moment are requiring 4 days within the workplace firmwide, together with the likes of Davis Polk; Latham; Paul Weiss; Ropes & Grey; Simpson Thacher; Skadden; Vinson & Elkins; Weil Gotshal; WilmerHale; White & Case; Sidley; Hogan Lovells; A&O Shearman; and Covington. Sullivan & Cromwell has taken its attendance coverage one step additional, requiring attorneys to work from the workplace 5 days every week.
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DLA Piper Will increase In-Workplace Requirement for US Company Legal professionals [Law.com]
Staci Zaretsky is the managing editor of Above the Regulation, the place she’s labored since 2011. She’d love to listen to from you, so please be happy to electronic mail her with any ideas, questions, feedback, or critiques. You may observe her on Bluesky, X/Twitter, and Threads, or join together with her on LinkedIn.
