Latham & Watkins will require its attorneys in the New York City office to be present four days a week starting January 1, 2025. The announcement was made through an internal email by Marc Jaffe, the managing partner of the firm’s New York office, and it reflects a broader trend among major law firms.
Jaffe emphasized that in-person collaboration is essential for the firm’s continued success in training, developing, and working together. However, the firm will not mandate specific attendance days, allowing attorneys to choose their schedules within the four-day requirement.
Latham & Watkins joins Skadden Arps Slate Meagher & Flom, Davis Polk & Wardwell, Simpson Thacher & Bartlett, Ropes & Gray, and Vinson & Elkins, all of which have adopted similar four-day office requirements. This shift toward increased in-office presence follows a period of flexible remote work policies brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic.
In contrast to these law firms’ policies, some of their clients, like Barclays PLC, Citigroup Inc., and HSBC Holdings PLC, have required staff to return to the office full-time.
For more details on this development, please refer to the article on Bloomberg Law.