Hybrid operations might be here to stay—but they are also continuously evolving. While the majority (86%) of attorneys want to continue remote work arrangements, firms that try to mandate specific days for their RTO only achieve a 49% compliance rate. Cushman & Wakefield reports that 75% of firms will be trying some form of hoteling, but law firms are challenged to then drive the collaboration and networking that makes in-office work meaningful. All of this plays out in the hottest lateral market on record, where some firms are experiencing up to a 25% attrition rate.

The other significant change that is impacting operations as a result of the pandemic is attorney technology adoption. Faced with no alternatives, lawyers learned they required technology to make remote work a reality.  In fact, upskilling technology is a welcome tradeoff for continuing to work from home.  This is one of the reasons why technology adoption in law firms is the #2 increase in overhead expenses last year (behind only recruitment expenses)—a statistic that has maintained course throughout 2022—and why Gartner predicts legal tech spend will triple by 2025.