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46 ¦ AUGUST 31, 2020 OPINION

¦ From THE PANDEMIC on PAGE 45 partners who once compared hours at the office
If young attorneys are not willing to wait to ad- are now embracing flexible work time, particular-
vance, they should consider whether now is a ly as they witness rates of productivity outside of
good time to examine career options in other the office similar to those productivity rates at the
workplaces, whether that means in-house or in office. Law firm owners are reevaluating whether
the government. the cost of overhead, such as the office lease, is
Consider taking the steps necessary to enter necessary going forward, and they realize that
practice in a new market by, for example, sitting profits may increase if they are willing to give up
for an additional bar exam, networking virtually office real estate. Other law firm leaders are now
in a new city or state, or planning for a move clos- forced to acknowledge that both male and female
er to home or to family. Many professionals may attorneys face challenges when they lack child care
now be driven by a desire to leave crowded cities and, as employers, firms must permit greater flex-
in order to better cope with the inconveniences ibility or solve for the lack of child care in order to
caused by COVD-19, while taking advantage of keep their lawyers billing.
the new telework environment. While unable to These responses to the pandemic may cre-
spend time outside of the home, young lawyers ate a more tolerable and flexible law firm work
can research a new location or potential job op- environment in the years to come. However, as
portunities in a new market. cases continue to rise and plans to return to the
Consider a transition to a remote work law firm workplace remain in flux, young lawyers should
or a legal solutions career, including at a consult- embrace this as a time to reflect on their career,
ing firm legal practice—businesses that are likely the path they may be on, and the path they ul-
to thrive when corporate legal departments cut timately wish to pursue. Given the inevitable
legal budgets in the immediate future. If you are slowdown and resulting job losses, young law-
a few years into your legal career but no longer yers would serve themselves and their colleagues
sure that practicing law is the career for you, take well to proactively evaluate their careers and their
advantage of slower times at work to research al- firms sooner rather than later.
ternative career paths.
The views expressed here are personal to the au-
The pandemic has hastened many changes that thors and do not represent the opinions of their
were on their way in the legal industry. Law firm employers.
¦

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