SXSW kicked off Thursday morning with a keynote discussion by Kasley Killiam, a social health expert, and Amy Galo, a workplace expert, about the need for better human connection. While the usual welcome remarks by Hugh Forrest, SXSW’s Chief Programming Officer, tend to be standard fare, this time, he introduced two elephants in the room—both of which have implications beyond just the conference itself.
First, the Austin Convention Center, home to most SXSW events, is being torn down after this year’s conference and won’t be available for the next three years. Talk about a logistical nightmare. But as Forrest pointed out, change is inevitable, and adaptation is key. The second elephant? “We live in interesting times,” he noted. And that, too, is an understatement.
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I’ve noticed that many of the themes this year involve concepts that are under attack. A cleaner environment to meet climate change threats. The attack on DEI. Where these attacks lead to and how they impact SXSW and other conferences remains to be seen. But it’s something all conferences and organizations need to think about.
Forrest emphasized though that the fact we live in interesting times does not change not change what SXSW does or what it’s about. That, in fact, the times make this event more important than ever.
That’s why Killiam’s keynote on social health and the need for deeper human connection couldn’t have been more timely. Killiam, a leading expert in social health and author of The Art and Science of Connection, argues that meaningful connection isn’t just a nice-to-have—it’s critical to our physical and mental health. She also made a bold prediction: in the future, social health will become a core pillar of both culture and business.
And like any business, law firms should pay attention.
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The Missing Piece in the Return-to-Office Debate
Killiam made a compelling case: workplaces that actively foster social health will be more innovative, more productive, and ultimately more profitable. She predicts that in the future, companies will create roles like Chief Social Health Officers to ensure employees are building meaningful connections. There’s already movement in this direction, with industries recognizing that combating loneliness and fostering connection leads to better health outcomes, including reduced risk of depression and heart disease, and even increased longevity.
This idea and need is particularly relevant to law firms, where the push for a return to the office is intensifying. As has been reported by Above the Law, more and more firms are requiring lawyers and legal professionals to be in the office four days a week. I suspect a five-day requirement is likely not far behind. The stated reasons? Increased collaboration, better training, and stronger firm culture. But as I have written before, let’s be honest—most of these policies aren’t about social health or connection. They’re about control and convenience for partners and leadership.
Indeed, if firms were genuinely concerned with connection and collaboration, they’d be designing work environments that encourage it—not just demanding physical presence. After all, how much social bonding happens when you’re locked in an office grinding out 2,400 billable hours a year? How much bonding can you do if you have to go to the office, sit alone all day working to meet your billable quota, and are interrupted every now and then for a Zoom call with a partner at their beach house or sail boat?
Forcing people back into the office without a plan for meaningful interaction isn’t fostering connection—it’s just adding commute time. And let’s not forget, requiring people in the office without more really just means depriving them of human connection time with friends, family, and even business connections.
If social health matters (and the data suggests it does), then firms need to be intentional about creating opportunities for genuine human connection, not just seat-warming.
The Future: Connection as a Competitive Edge
Killiam’s argument also hints at where the legal industry should be heading. Killiam believes socially connected individuals and teams innovate better and communicate more effectively. They are happier. They are more productive and are ultimately more successful. Firms need to get over the idea that providing social connection programs and incentives does not mean fewer billable hours.
In addition, if firms move toward more value-based billing instead of rigid billable-hour models, fostering deeper team collaboration becomes even more important and could provide a competitive advantage.
Given the rise of discussions around social health, law firms that ignore this trend risk falling behind. That’s the part of the conversation missing from the return-to-office debate. If law firms truly want to enhance collaboration, they need to provide a reason to be in the office beyond just “because we said so.” That means creating space for real human interaction—mentorship, brainstorming, learning from colleagues—not just more time behind a desk.
This is what SXSW does so well—challenging conventional thinking and pushing industries forward. Killiam’s keynote was a reminder that the world is shifting. The firms that embrace change and rethink the way they operate will be the ones that thrive.
Stephen Embry is a lawyer, speaker, blogger and writer. He publishes TechLaw Crossroads, a blog devoted to the examination of the tension between technology, the law, and the practice of law.