If COVID-19 has shown anything, it's that law firms can work remotely for a significant length of time. And at least one group of attorneys is looking to keep that momentum going post-coronavirus.

Associates hoping to leverage remote working arrangements in the future say the fact that productivity and work product quality were maintained during the pandemic's shelter-in-place mandates is evidence against arguments that in-person work is superior.

"It's funny because I would consider myself someone that hates working from home. Before this [COVID-19], I would never choose to work remotely," said Ahmad Zaffarese labor and employment associate Aleena Sorathia. "This has shown me I can be productive in my own space and perhaps take advantage of that flexibility."

The sustained productivity hasn't been missed by associates' superiors either, including those previously skeptical of remote working.

"I think people have realized we can be as productive working from home and still meet our billables and communicate with our clients as we are fully remote," said Reed Smith associate Leidy Gutierrez.

Indeed, Loeb Leadership's recent "The Legal Industry's Handling of the Disruption Caused by COVID-19″ report found support for remote working is growing. More than half (66%) of the 25 firms contacted wanted to continue working remotely, if only for a few days a week, post-coronavirus. Of associate respondents, 100% said they wanted to continue working remotely, if only partially.

Some associates even want to leverage remote working arrangements in lieu of using vacation, family leave and other scheduled days off to balance the firm's need to bill hours and the associate's personal demands.

"For certain employees in certain positions, deciding to take time off or whatever the matter is, employers may have a little more room to accommodate a work from home plan with them," said Keefe Law Firm associate and Camden County, New Jersey, Bar Association Young Lawyers Committee chair Christopher Keating. "Everything is on the table for some employers."

Still, some associates say remote working arrangements can lead to missing out on casual, but important, moments to impress partners.

Donovan Bonner, who started at Coblentz Patch Duffy & Bass as an associate during COVID-19, noted that making introductions and building rapport is difficult when working remotely and can negatively impact an associate's path to partnership. "I think that physical interaction and casualness helps, and you get more work from that," he said.

Despite the industry's sudden shift to remotely working, some lawyers will still view in-person work more favorably, which younger attorneys should take into consideration, said Critton Luttier Coleman associate Santo DiGangi. "I do think it is beneficial for young attorneys to be in the office, especially when they work with older lawyers that don't understand technology as well," DiGangi noted.

"There's a culture established in them [firms] and it's harder to break," he added. "It will take pioneers to bring that change. It's possible, but I don't see it happening in the near future."

Others, however, are more optimistic. Los Angeles-based Harris Ginsberg associate Jack McMorrow sees lawyers' rigidness toward remote working softening after lawyers maintained productivity during a pandemic.

"Formality is an inescapable part of the initial character of an attorney, and over time the formality is decreasing," he said.

He added that reopening "will present the opportunity for law firms to see it [remote working] is not as bad as they think it it is. … Once the firms give up on that they might not force it back into existence after. I do think younger attorneys will want to take advantage of that."