Do law firms have the resources to pay for the technological innovations they feel they need to compete, while also having the kind of office space that encourages attendance (despite the technology that makes it unnecessary for some)? Maybe.

But in place of the common assumption from the COVID years that real estate and technology spending were inversely related, it's becoming increasingly clear that the two line items—which trail only talent on the overall cost hierarchy—have a more complex relationship. Essentially, firms' success in linking the two will determine how vibrant their workplaces are going forward.