“The move to flexible work represents a step forward in transforming our business based on the new understanding we have gained from our remote work experience during the pandemic,” said Sandy Thomas, Reed Smith’s Global Managing Partner. “We have learned that we can serve our clients at the highest level in a work environment that includes flexibility, and that this arrangement offers significant benefits to our people as well.”
The firm’s approach to flexible work, which also stresses the value of working and collaborating in the office, is an extension of Reed Smith’s culture. It is reflective of the importance of collaboration, the benefits of personal contact with colleagues and clients, the need for mentoring, and the apprenticeship nature of the legal profession that is critical for associates and other junior lawyers. It is also reflective of the realities of the modern workplace, where technology can facilitate far-reaching connectivity and efficiency.
The phased-in approach begins in May when U.S. offices will be prepared to accommodate more people working in the office. In June, a “Welcome Back Wednesday” program will be launched in the U.S., and everyone will be encouraged to sign up to work in the office on one Wednesday that month. On those Wednesdays, the firm will provide boxed lunches, set up social gatherings for personnel to safely reconnect, as well as tech and office support to facilitate getting individual offices comfortably up and running. On July 6, there will be a soft opening of offices for U.S. personnel to come into the office, and will be by reservation only to monitor the capacity on each office floor. Offices will be staffed to fully support the business as people begin to return in larger numbers under the new approach to flexible work. On September 7, U.S. offices will be fully open, again subject to local health regulations and capacity limits.
Lawyers across regions will not be required to work a certain numbers of days in the office. They will, however, be expected to maintain some routine physical presence in the office, including for client and team meetings, office events, training sessions and practice group meetings. All lawyers are expected to maintain a regular presence in the office given the nature of legal training and the importance of teamwork, mentoring, and collaboration.
“Our working environment and the ways we support clients have changed significantly from the pre-pandemic world,” said Casey Ryan, Reed Smith’s Global Head of Legal Personnel. “We have adopted this flexible work policy with this new reality in mind and to capitalize on the best parts of what we have learned from remote working.”
Staff positions across regions will be assigned into three designated categories – office based, hybrid, and fully flexible – that will determine the expectations for office presence. Office-based roles will be assigned to essential staff, with an expectation of full-time presence in the office. Hybrid roles will be flexible, but will require a presence in the office on a routine basis, and fully flexible roles will allow for full-time remote work.
The firm’s summer associate program in the U.S. will begin as a remote program in May, with plans for voluntary in-office activities in June and July.
“We know what it takes to make a flexible-work program a success,” said Nick Bagiatis, Reed Smith’s Chief Operating Officer. “We have to continue to effectively and efficiently serve the needs of our clients, foster collaboration with colleagues and team members, and ensure strong work practices and processes. We will push this all forward by investing in further training for our leadership on managing remote teams and further upgrading our technology to enhance service delivery.”
The firm will continue to implement health and safety precautions in all offices and abide by local regulations and guidelines. Vaccinations are strongly encouraged but not required. Staggered schedules, revised floor plans, social distancing, mask-wearing in communal spaces, daily cleaning and a reservation system to control capacity levels will all be part of the firm’s return-to-office regimen, and compliance with all recommended safety practices will be mandatory.
Reed Smith was among the first global law firms to announce a move to full remote working in response to the COVID-19 pandemic in mid-March 2020. As health regulations permitted, small teams of essential workers have been operating on site and, in recent months, they have been joined by some lawyers and staff in select global markets. The majority of the firm’s workforce continues to work remotely.
About Reed Smith
Reed Smith is a dynamic international law firm dedicated to helping clients move their businesses forward. With an inclusive culture and innovative mindset, we deliver smarter, more creative legal services that drive better outcomes for our clients. Our deep industry knowledge, long-standing relationships and collaborative structure make us the go-to partner for complex disputes, transactions, and regulatory matters. Now celebrating more than 140 years of service, our firm spans 30 offices with 3,000 people, including 1,700 lawyers.
For more information, please visit www.reedsmith.com.
