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Top Biglaw Firm Plans Partial November Return, But Adds In Flexibility For Parents Of Children Too Young For Vaccination

The firm continues to focus on the health and safety of its lawyers and staff.

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DEBEVOISE — MEMO — ANNOUNCING OUR RETURN TO OUR U.S. AND EUROPEAN OFFICES

Earlier this week, the Management Committee approved November 8 as the date that we will begin to strongly encourage returning to our U.S. and European offices. I covered this topic in detail in our town hall earlier today and wanted to share the highlights in this memo.

Most importantly, our decision is grounded in the advice provided by our medical advisors, who have been appropriately cautious and conservative in their advice to us throughout the pandemic.  In our meeting with them earlier this week, for the first time they encouraged us to return to the office. In particular, they noted that in September we saw a levelling off, and more recently a meaningful downward trend in positivity rates, new infections and hospitalizations, notwithstanding their previous concerns that September might show an uptick with children returning to school. Our advisors believe that these trends will continue, and that we are clear to head back in the week of November 8.

I am aware that this announcement may generate a range of reactions.  Many of us feel that since March of 2020, certain things have been lost regarding our connection to one another and to the firm, our culture and our apprenticeship system. Those of us in this camp are greatly looking forward to our return. There will also be many who do not feel as positive about this news, which is totally understandable.  You have come to appreciate the increased flexibility and real benefits in our personal and family lives that working outside the office can provide.  And many of us are both eager to return, and nervous about returning.

To help everyone acclimate to our return, no matter where on that spectrum you fall, we will proceed on a very gradual schedule.

  • From now through November 7, our offices continue to be available as needed, on a completely voluntary basis.
  • From November 8 through January 7, we strongly encourage everyone to come into the office 1-2 days per week, initially to reacquaint yourselves with the office and your commute, and then to re-establish connections and new working habits.
  • U.S. personnel may work fully remotely the week of November 22, and all personnel in the U.S. and Europe may work fully remotely the weeks of December 20 and 27, subject as always to compelling business and client needs during those weeks.
  • On January 10 the firm’s Flexible Working Policy, which asks everyone to be in the office about two-thirds of each month, goes into effect, with adjustments for certain offices and roles. We will solicit feedback about the Policy after we have had several months of experience with it, and will make adjustments as appropriate based on the feedback we receive.

Additionally, we are also offering flexibility in this schedule for people in any of the following categories:

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  • Parents of children who are too young to be vaccinated.
  • Individuals living with an elderly person or someone who is immunocompromised.
  • Those who have moved outside their office location and need some extra time to return.

If you fall into any of these categories, please reach out as soon as possible to Professional Development for New York lawyers, Human Resources for New York professional staff, or your Office Manager for other locations.

Our protocols for our offices will continue to reflect the fact that the health and safety of our people is our foremost priority. All personnel must comply with local office vaccine policies – which now includes being fully vaccinated in order to enter our offices where that is permitted – and for the time being we continue to require masks in common areas, in line with current public health guidance, as well as legal requirements in certain cities.

More information on office policies and protocols will be posted shortly on the DebWeb. Please consult these before coming into the office.

Thank you for your cooperation. I look forward to seeing you over the next few months.

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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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