Biglaw, Technology

Biglaw Firm Makes It Possible For Associates To Do More Work

The ability to do more work is better for your work/life balance, according to this firm.

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ROPES & GRAY — MEMO RE: NEW TECHNOLOGY FOR ASSOCIATES

Activity at the firm has been increasing, and we know you are all working extremely hard. The firm is grateful for your hard work and we want to do whatever we reasonably can to make sure you have a healthy work/life balance and that you’re supported in your effort to serve clients.

In particular, we know that from time to time, many of you find it necessary or more convenient to work from home and while commuting. With this in mind, we want to make sure you have the technology support you need to do so. Effective September 1, the firm will make the following equipment available, upon request, to 3rd year associates and above, and counsel:

· A second monitor for home use so that you can produce and compare documents as easily at home as you do in the office.

· A docking station so that you can use an external monitor with your firm-issued laptop.

· An “Always On” phone, so that you can work and arrange conference calls from home without inconveniencing clients. The supply of these phones will be somewhat limited (see below), and they will not be generally available until the fall or early next year.

The firm will also be expanding the pool of firm-owned wireless cards for use by all associates and counsel who need them while traveling or commuting.

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Some things to keep in mind:

· You’ll be ordering the equipment you need directly from manufacturers selected by the firm’s IT department. In the next few weeks, you’ll be getting information about how to do this.

· The equipment will be paid for by the firm directly and the monitors and docking stations will be shipped directly to your home.

· The firm will not install or maintain the equipment. We expect that it will have a useful life of several years, and we will address the issue of upgrades as and when it becomes necessary.

· “Always On” phones will need to be purchased and configured by User Support.

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We will continue to discuss other ideas for home and on-the-road support that have been raised, as upgrades make them cost effective and technologically possible.

Everyone’s situation is unique, and we fully expect that you will only request equipment that you really need. In particular, at the moment our contract limits us to approximately 350 “Always On” phones, so please be especially thoughtful about your need for that equipment.

Based on an informal survey, we believe this package of at-home and on-the-road support surpasses that of many of our peer firms, but that’s entirely consistent with our desire to do what we can to make a demanding workload more compatible with time with family and friends.

Earlier: The Best Law Firms To Work For (2015)

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