As a growing number of large law firms, mostly from New York, adopt policies mandating their lawyers to return to the office four days a week come this fall, the tide has yet to turn in Washington, D.C.

Law firms in D.C.—many of which are operating on a schedule of three days in the office—are likely to face more resistance to in-office mandates, and they could go as far as to use flexible workplace arrangements as leverage to retain and recruit talent, suggested several area recruiters.