It’s not that most associates don’t want to ever go back to the office. It’s that people don’t enjoy the culture. [Most firms] don’t really have an intentional culture, except ‘being best’—and that’s not much of a culture. You’re stuck in some partner’s office where they don’t make eye contact. Or you walk by a partner who doesn’t acknowledge you—which is especially true for minority associates. Working remotely removes that social stress; it’s less emotional work.
— Lauren Skerrett, an associate at Kirkland & Ellis, commenting on one of the reasons why associates aren’t too excited about returning to the office in the “post”-pandemic world. Skerrett has written for Above the Law about the experience of being a Black lawyer in Biglaw. Click here to see her columns.
Staci 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.