Big
changes
rarely
happen
quickly
at
Biglaw
firms.
Even
before
the
rank-and-file
associates
catch
wind
of
anything,
there’s
usually
much
discussion
and
analysis
going
on
at
the
management
level.
So
when
the
world’s
richest
law
firm,
Kirkland
&
Ellis,
made
a
change
to
standard
review
assessments,
it
got
tongues
wagging.
Kirkland
recently
sent
out
their
associate
review
questionnaires.
And
tipsters
at
the
firm
noticed
a
new
addition
to
this
year’s
form,
which
asked:
Work
Schedule:
As
a
reminder,
Firm
Policy
on
in-office
attendance
is
Tuesday
through
Thursday
each
week.
For
the
Associate
Review,
please
provide
a
general
description
concerning
your
in-office
attendance
during
the
past
review
period
so
that
the
Committee
can
consider
this
information
when
reviewing
any
in-office
data
reports
and
information.
Back
in
2022,
Kirkland
rolled
out
their
three
days-a-week
mandate,
but
in
2025,
more
and
more
firms
are
pushing
for
associates
to
be
in
the
office
four
or
even
five
days
a
week.
Now
that
the
firm
is
asking
questions
about
attendance,
tipsters
are
wondering
exactly
what
that
is
foreshadowing.
As
a
insider
told
Above
the
Law,
“For
the
first
time,
they
are
now
asking
about
in
office
attendance
which
seems
to
be
the
initial
step
to
demanding
more
in
office
attendance.”
But,
of
course,
this
could
be
a
prequel
to
something
even
more
punitive.
While
it’s
far
from
the
industry
norm,
several
firms
have
threatened
(or
even
gone
through
with)
docking
associate
bonuses
if
they
flout
the
in-office
requirements.
…Or
maybe
the
firm
is
just
trying
to
take
associates’
temperature
and
grab
data
on
how
the
policy
is
working
out.
That’s
a
pretty
Pollyanna
take,
but
it
COULD
be
true.
If
your
firm
makes
any
changes
to
their
office
attendance
plans
at
your
firm,
please email
us (subject
line:
“[Firm
Name]
Office
Attendance”)
or
text
us
at
(646)
820-8477.
We
always
keep
our
sources
on
stories
anonymous.
There’s
no
need
to
send
a
memo
(if
one
exists)
using
your
firm
email
account;
your
personal
email
account
is
fine.
If
a
memo
has
been
circulated,
please
be
sure
to
include
it
as
proof;
we
like
to
post
complete
memos
as
a
service
to
our
readers.
You
can
take
a
photo
of
the
memo
and
attach
as
a
picture
if
you
are
worried
about
metadata
in
a
PDF
or
Word
file.
Thanks.
Kathryn
Rubino
is
a
Senior
Editor
at
Above
the
Law,
host
of
The
Jabot
podcast,
and
co-host
of
Thinking
Like
A
Lawyer.
AtL
tipsters
are
the
best,
so
please
connect
with
her.
Feel
free
to
email
her
with
any
tips,
questions,
or
comments
and
follow
her
on
Twitter
@Kathryn1 or
Mastodon
@[email protected].