In-House Departments Struggling With Hybrid: The Morning Minute

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WHAT WE'RE WATCHING

FROM AT HOME TO IN-HOUSE - Law firms aren't the only ones bewildered by hybrid work. As Law.com's Hugo Guzman reports, in-house departments are struggling with how to implement a system that adequately balances many workers' desire for maximum flexibility with the need for lawyers to build strong relationships with leaders of business units across the company. That last bit is increasingly important as the responsibilities of in-house counsel continue to expand. Many consultants and other experts say the pandemic has frayed relationships between legal departments and their corporate clients, in part because too many hybrid work environments are poorly structured. "For in-house counsel to be effective, they need to be aligned and connected with their corporate clients," said Jason Winmill, managing partner at the legal department consulting firm Argopoint. "Everyone being in the office is an important avenue to foster that collaboration. And that's going to be … not impossible but definitely more challenging in a hybrid environment."

TECH TALENT TEST -  It's not just partners and associates—legal tech and innovation professionals are also participating in the Great Resignation.  As the legal market embraces more innovation and technology in a pandemic economy, the demand for such talent is outpacing supply. But it's also a consequence of areas like legal operations becoming more mature, with those professionals now looking to effect change in other corners of the legal market. While such turnover is impacting law firms, legal departments, ALSPs and legal tech companies alike, not all areas of the market are equally equipped to handle it. As Law.com's Rhys Dipshan reports, the traditional culture and business model at some law firms are likely handicapping their ability to attract and retain legal tech and innovation talent. "Those who are in this space who want to innovate, who want to make things better, tend to seek out the organizations that focus on that," said Mollie Nichols, Hogan Lovells' former head of advanced client data solutions who recently left the firm to become the first CEO of Redgrave Data, the new subsidiary of e-discovery boutique Redgrave LLP. "It's not the core business of what a law firm does. So [they're] seeking out the ALSPs or the Big Four, [where] they feel more valued."