Biglaw

Young Lawyers Should Use COVID-19's Biglaw Disruption To Their Advantage

Maybe you should quit your law firm before your law firm quits you?

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The pandemic has hastened many changes that were on their way in the legal industry. Law firm partners who once compared hours at the office are now embracing flexible work time, particularly as they witness rates of productivity outside of the office similar to those productivity rates at the office. Law firm owners are reevaluating whether the cost of overhead, such as the office lease, is necessary going forward, and they realize that profits may increase if they are willing to give up office real estate. Other law firm leaders are now forced to acknowledge that both male and female attorneys face challenges when they lack child care and, as employers, firms must permit greater flexibility or solve for the lack of child care in order to keep their lawyers billing.

These responses to the pandemic may create a more tolerable and flexible law firm work environment in the years to come. However, as cases continue to rise and plans to return to the workplace remain in flux, young lawyers should embrace this as a time to reflect on their career, the path they may be on, and the path they ultimately wish to pursue. Given the inevitable slowdown and resulting job losses, young lawyers would serve themselves and their colleagues well to proactively evaluate their careers and their firms sooner rather than later.

— words of wisdom from the Young Lawyer Editorial Board of the American Lawyer, where they encourage young lawyers to reconsider their career paths now that the coronavirus crisis has given them the unexpected chance to do so.

Staci ZaretskyStaci Zaretsky is a senior editor at Above the Law, where she’s worked since 2011. She’d love to hear from you, so please feel free to email her with any tips, questions, comments, or critiques. You can follow her on Twitter or connect with her on LinkedIn.

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