BY JEROME DORAISAMYMore and more practitioners are opting for flexible and remote working set-ups, or at least hybrid arrangements whereby the office remains a constant. Reflection on what one deems essential for their vocational journey has sparked talk of a looming “Great Resignation” for lawyers, being driven partly by disconnection and set to hit all demographics of the legal profession, including in-house and boutique firms.
Salary has always been a crucial consideration for lawyers in their professional development and trajectory, and three in four lawyers seem happy with their current pay levels, as found by recent Momentum Intelligence and Lawyers Weekly findings. But, with new elements pressing their case in extrapolating what will offer meaning for each individual, how essential is pay moving forward?
What lawyers value right now
The age of COVID-19, Keypoint Law chief executive Warren Kalinko mused, has given people the opportunity to re-evaluate, which in turn has allowed a sense of purpose, and of connecting with what’s important in life, to move to centre stage.
“The implications for law firms are profound. The ‘command and control’ law firm is no longer in vogue. Lawyers now want practice autonomy, because it gives them the freedom to design the life they want to lead,” he submitted.
“Many firms think the solution is to allow their lawyers to work from home two days a week (and that shift took a global pandemic to achieve). However, the reality is that ‘work location’ is not the driver of practice autonomy. To achieve true flexibility and control, law firms need to jettison billable hour targets and the entrenched management lever of the daily timesheet. To date, only a handful of national firms have achieved this.”
Madison Marcus director Jimmy Morcos supports this, noting that the day-to-day operations across personal and professional existences have been influenced in a variety of ways.
“The business world has been catapulted and driven into a new way of remote and hybrid working. Within our business, COVID-19 has driven and created a raised awareness of the importance of personal and professional values and priorities. Areas to highlight are health, wellness, purpose, time, further learnings and in turn, created a demand for work/life balance. Effective and collaborative work environments and processes amongst employees and teams have become a necessity,” he detailed.
“Prioritising new workflows, processes, and technologies to create an environment where employees can work not just effectively but also enjoy the process of executing their work commitment has been just as influential as salary to any prospective or existing legal professional. Automated processes and workflow efficiencies have allowed for greater employee happiness as well as work/life balance for employees, by providing clear lines between work and personal hours. This balance is critical to the business world that never ‘switches off’ with open communication lines only a mobile, or internet connection away.”
The importance of an environment where employees can enjoy the experience of collaborating and socialising together, particularly in a time of increased isolation, is a significant consideration, Mr Morcos argued.
“So much so, that in late 2021 we made the executive decision to invest in a new space that offers both a central location but also a space that is collaborative and social. Our new location at Level 10, 60 Castlereagh Street, Sydney offers an aesthetically chic space, encased in natural light and foliage but provides a space for professional, collaborative work but the opportunity to socialise and network,” he advocated.
