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19 May 2017 / Warren Wooldridge
Issue: 7746 / Categories: Features , Profession
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No half measures

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Agile working requires a real culture change, says Warren Wooldridge

The concept of agile working is fast defining the next generation of law firms that threaten to bloody the nose of the traditional status quo. Being able to work where, when and how you want is of course only one element that differentiates the new from the old but interestingly it is the one that traditional law firms have deemed the easiest to defend. By somehow portraying themselves as supporters of agile working it is hoped they will blunt one of the key advantages enjoyed by newer law firm models.

Paying lip service

Paying lip service to existing staff and allowing them to work the occasional day from home or by knocking down the partitioning walls to create an open plan office is missing the point. True agile working is a real cultural change. Allowing lawyers to work in this way from day one has some serious benefits. There is no stigma attached to working from home. There is no feeling of somehow missing out

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