Page 25 - BusinessWest November 10, 2021

“COVID has resulted in more efficiencies, and, generally, efficiencies mean things take less time, and we sell time, so that means we’re selling less per client,” Stratton explained. “But it allows us to potentially work with more clients and work with clients who are more distant — we can expand the footprint of who we’re comfortable working with and who’s comfortable working with us.”
As for recruiting ... the pandemic brings both opportunity and challenge, said Betsey Quick, executive director of Springfield-based Bulkley Richardson. She noted, as others have over the years, that it is difficult to recruit young lawyers to Western Mass. law firms, and it often takes a family connection to do so. With the pandemic and the ability to work remotely, there is now the possibility of recruiting lawyers not to Western Mass., necessarily, but to firms based here — and the young lawyers can live where they want.
But — and this is a significant ‘but’ — young lawyers who might want to come to Western Mass. because of the quality of life and compara- tively low cost of living can now come here, but not necessarily to work for a firm based here — again, because of the options now available to them.
“Remote working options can help and hurt recruiting efforts,” Quick said. “We are now hear- ing from attorneys with great résumés who prefer more of a remote schedule. It has opened the doors to new prospects. The concept of urban flight is real, and professionals are considering their options. On the other hand, with remote work, attorneys who once flocked to big-city firms may now have the option to remain at that firm, with the big city salary, and relocated to a rural area.”
For this issue and its focus on law, Business- West looks at all of the various ways the pandem- ic has brought change to a sector that hasn’t seen very much of it over the past several decades.
Case in Point
Mulhern remembers when, at the height of the pandemic in mid-2020, he used to carry a
“
markets that you didn’t have to compete with before for talent.
small, foldable table in his car. It was for what came to be known as ‘driveway signings,’ among other names — the inking of documents in out- door settings, including driveways, but also park- ing lots and parking garages, where each party would bring their own pen and bottle of hand sanitizer.
Those days seem like a long time ago, and in many respects they are, he said, adding that a large degree of normalcy has returned to the practice of law, although things are, in many ways, not at all like they were in February 2020.
As an example, Albano noted the recent end to Springfield’s mask mandate. While the city took that course, Bacon Wilson has decided to still require masks within its offices, a difference of opinion that has resulted in some confusion and even some harsh words for the receptionist from visitors not inclined to mask up.
Overall, changes have come to where lawyers
You need to compete with
”
Seth Stratton says the changing dynamics presented by the pandemic could provide area firms with more opportunities to secure work from clients based outside the 413.
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