Milan's New Normal: What Returning to the Office Looks Like
Social distancing floor markings and lift restrictions are just some of the actions being adopted by Italy's top law firms.
May 18, 2020 at 05:50 AM
3 minute read
Bonelli partner Andrea Manzitti in the Milan office. Credit: BonelliErede
Markings on the floor, mandatory masks and only one person in a lift at a time. These are some of the measures being used by Italy's top law firms as lawyers begin to return to the office following the pandemic lockdown.
The strict measures offer a glimpse into what life could be like in other major legal markets, such as London, once COVID-19 lockdown restrictions are eased.
Several top firms' Milan bases began lifting restrictions and reopening offices on a limited basis at the beginning of May although remote working is still being recommended. But those who are travelling in are finding a very different environment to the one they left.
Leading Italian firm BonelliErede is paying for staff who wish to travel into the office to use taxis or other private transportation, according to two partners at the firm.
Another Bonelli partner told Law.com International that wearing masks is mandatory for staff other than in single occupancy rooms, with masks being provided at the entrance. The firm is providing everyone with two reusable masks, plus two disposable masks daily.
Bonelli's Milan office has placed distancing markings in proximity of the entrance, near lifts and water dispensers.
"We have implemented a very strict safety protocol", a partner said, "all common areas are closed and there is only one person at a time in lifts".
"Common areas are sanitised every two hours", another partner added, describing law firms as behaving "even more prudently than the government".
A partner who has returned to Bird & Bird's Milan office said the firm has divided its lawyers into two teams who never meet, with one team going in two days of the week and another going in for the remaining three days, before switching the following week.
The U.K.-headquartered firm has additionally restricted the number of people in communal areas, with only one person allowed in shared kitchens at a time.
"It's a question of social responsibility. We shouldn't be going around the city when we have remote working capabilities."
The partner also said that they personally do not wear their mask when in their own room, but in more shared spaces such as lifts, they remain vigilant in keeping it on.
"For me it is quite important to come to the office as I have plenty of things to do here", they continued.
Yet, some Italian lawyers are in no rush to return to the office, with just 64 out of Bonelli's 550 staff accessing its Milan office in its first week of opening.
"It's a question of social responsibility", said one partner. "We shouldn't be going around the city when we have remote working capabilities. There are people who need to go to work more than we do".
Read More:
Italy's Elite Law Firms to Reopen as Nation Eases Lockdown Restrictions
Spanish Firms Considering Office Returns As Lockdown Set to Continue
NOT FOR REPRINT
© 2024 ALM Global, LLC, All Rights Reserved. Request academic re-use from www.copyright.com. All other uses, submit a request to [email protected]. For more information visit Asset & Logo Licensing.
You Might Like
View All
Japanese Boutique Marks First Foray Overseas With Singapore Opening
Clifford Chance Under Fire for Human Rights Assessment of Saudi Arabia World Cup Bid
5 minute read
Baker McKenzie Appoints New India Practice Chair and Other Asia Pacific Moves
Law Firms Mentioned
Trending Stories
- 1Infant Formula Judge Sanctions Kirkland's Jim Hurst: 'Overtly Crossed the Lines'
- 2Trump's Return to the White House: The Legal Industry Reacts
- 3Election 2024: Nationwide Judicial Races and Ballot Measures to Watch
- 4Climate Disputes, International Arbitration, and State Court Limitations for Global Issues
- 5Judicial Face-Off: Navigating the Ethical and Efficient Use of AI in Legal Practice [CLE Pending]
- 6How Much Does the Frequency of Retirement Withdrawals Matter?
Who Got The Work
Michael G. Bongiorno, Andrew Scott Dulberg and Elizabeth E. Driscoll from Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr have stepped in to represent Symbotic Inc., an A.I.-enabled technology platform that focuses on increasing supply chain efficiency, and other defendants in a pending shareholder derivative lawsuit. The case, filed Oct. 2 in Massachusetts District Court by the Brown Law Firm on behalf of Stephen Austen, accuses certain officers and directors of misleading investors in regard to Symbotic's potential for margin growth by failing to disclose that the company was not equipped to timely deploy its systems or manage expenses through project delays. The case, assigned to U.S. District Judge Nathaniel M. Gorton, is 1:24-cv-12522, Austen v. Cohen et al.
Who Got The Work
Edmund Polubinski and Marie Killmond of Davis Polk & Wardwell have entered appearances for data platform software development company MongoDB and other defendants in a pending shareholder derivative lawsuit. The action, filed Oct. 7 in New York Southern District Court by the Brown Law Firm, accuses the company's directors and/or officers of falsely expressing confidence in the company’s restructuring of its sales incentive plan and downplaying the severity of decreases in its upfront commitments. The case is 1:24-cv-07594, Roy v. Ittycheria et al.
Who Got The Work
Amy O. Bruchs and Kurt F. Ellison of Michael Best & Friedrich have entered appearances for Epic Systems Corp. in a pending employment discrimination lawsuit. The suit was filed Sept. 7 in Wisconsin Western District Court by Levine Eisberner LLC and Siri & Glimstad on behalf of a project manager who claims that he was wrongfully terminated after applying for a religious exemption to the defendant's COVID-19 vaccine mandate. The case, assigned to U.S. Magistrate Judge Anita Marie Boor, is 3:24-cv-00630, Secker, Nathan v. Epic Systems Corporation.
Who Got The Work
David X. Sullivan, Thomas J. Finn and Gregory A. Hall from McCarter & English have entered appearances for Sunrun Installation Services in a pending civil rights lawsuit. The complaint was filed Sept. 4 in Connecticut District Court by attorney Robert M. Berke on behalf of former employee George Edward Steins, who was arrested and charged with employing an unregistered home improvement salesperson. The complaint alleges that had Sunrun informed the Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection that the plaintiff's employment had ended in 2017 and that he no longer held Sunrun's home improvement contractor license, he would not have been hit with charges, which were dismissed in May 2024. The case, assigned to U.S. District Judge Jeffrey A. Meyer, is 3:24-cv-01423, Steins v. Sunrun, Inc. et al.
Who Got The Work
Greenberg Traurig shareholder Joshua L. Raskin has entered an appearance for boohoo.com UK Ltd. in a pending patent infringement lawsuit. The suit, filed Sept. 3 in Texas Eastern District Court by Rozier Hardt McDonough on behalf of Alto Dynamics, asserts five patents related to an online shopping platform. The case, assigned to U.S. District Judge Rodney Gilstrap, is 2:24-cv-00719, Alto Dynamics, LLC v. boohoo.com UK Limited.
Featured Firms
Law Offices of Gary Martin Hays & Associates, P.C.
(470) 294-1674
Law Offices of Mark E. Salomone
(857) 444-6468
Smith & Hassler
(713) 739-1250
