2022 Bright Insight

IMPACT OF COVID-19

THE GREAT DISRUPTOR The global pandemic set a new course for the future of workplace, placing its mark on a changed work environment. The abrupt shift to fully remote working, and now to hybrid work environments, has been monumental. In just two years, law firm leaders have reoriented their skeptical views of remote work to broad acceptance of a likely permanent shift away from the office as the only or primary place of business for most attorneys and staff roles alike. This is a new reality for the legal sector but may not be enthusiastically accepted by all. While many firms are quickly adapting, the pandemic’s disruption will continue to impact the legal sector for years to come. From a health crisis perspective, the world seems to be in a much better place compared to 2020. But leaders of all types of industries, including law firms, are finding the new complexities of mapping out a successful workplace model of the future to be challenging.

While many firms are quickly adapting, the pandemic’s disruption will continue to impact the legal sector for years to come.

In fact, when firms were asked the timing of when they anticipate the return to the office normalizing, the response was 37% do not anticipate stabilization until the second half of 2022, and another 26% not until the first half of 2023. Keep in mind “normalize” is not defined as everyone returning to the office to work. Rather it signifies in this context what will be the normal on a case-by-case basis for each firm and how they approach the return.

When do you expect the office/work environment to normalize back to a pre-pandemic level?

11%

Our office/work environment is already back to normal

13%

1st half of 2022

37% 2nd half of 2022 26% 1st half of 2022

37%

2nd half of 2022

26%

1st half of 2023

4%

2nd half of 2023

9%

Not until 2024 or later

7

The 2022 National Legal Sector Benchmark Survey Results