McGuireWoods New York office managing partner Noreen Kelly was quoted in two January 2021 articles about changes to traditional firm environments that law firm leaders anticipate in the coming months.
The American Lawyer quoted Kelly in a Jan. 21, 2021, story about return-to-office challenges expected by firms, remote working due to COVID-19 and changes in client contact.
While partners want to ensure associates have the full benefit of in-person training, younger lawyers may prefer remote work, the article reported. “I think there will be a generational conflict that will have to be resolved, one way or another,” Kelly said.
Kelly also predicted notable differences in client contact, in that businesses will be less likely to welcome in-person visits: “I think they’ll be far more conservative about us showing up in their office.”
The New York State Bar Association quoted Kelly in a Jan. 21, 2021, story about post-pandemic challenges for firms and how firm leaders have worked to support their teams during the pandemic.
At McGuireWoods, Kelly said, firm leaders are empathetic to current challenges and have increased check-ins with their teams or revised schedules for young parents.
“We built a sense of collegiality and warmth,” she said of the firm’s effort to communicate that lawyers “could reach out to management when they needed help.”