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As businesses locked their doors, and cities shut down around the globe over the past month, I was fortunate to not have to worry about how I would handle my job when the time came for New York City to issue its stay-at-home orders. My firm’s chief of staff has always ensured that our teams are prepared to work remotely at any time, for any reason. From cloud-based files to remote-access workspaces and shared drives, I knew that we were structurally and procedurally ready for when the day came for prolonged work from home orders. However, I had not considered whether I was mentally or emotionally ready.
I have always been someone who works best in the quiet of a private office, behind a closed door, so the concept of working alone for an extended period of time did not faze me. Yet, I have come to appreciate the interpersonal aspects of office life — Monday morning firm-wide meetings that set the tone for the week, miniature pep talks with colleagues while grabbing coffee in the kitchen, face-to-face brainstorming, and team debriefings. While I admittedly thrive in solitude in many ways, I find myself missing those daily interactions, which I now realize breathe life into a law firm. Those moments make the difference between feeling like a brief-writing machine and feeling like an invigorated advocate. As the saying goes, you don’t know what you’ve got ‘til it’s gone.
With New York still in something of a lockdown, in addition to my firm’s regular Monday morning meeting being moved to video call, we have a Friday afternoon video check-in as well. I find myself looking forward to, and being energized by, these calls, as they remind me that we are part of a team with common goals and that we can still support and learn from each other at a distance.
During this uncertain time of office closures and social isolation with no guaranteed end, it would be easy to slide into a mechanical state of production, churning out research and writing and lengthy email chains to get the job done. With employees being removed from the physical office space, phone calls and emails suffice for the bulk of communication regarding expected work product and deadlines. But there is no substitute for face-to-face interaction, especially when it comes to teamwork, motivation, and morale. And there is no substitute for having firm-wide leadership who understand this. Staying connected while working remotely cannot be underestimated.
Megan E. McKenzie, a recent graduate of Georgetown University Law Center, works at Balestriere Fariello while her admission to the bar is pending. She works with her colleagues on all aspects of domestic and international complex litigation, arbitration, appeals, and investigations. You can reach her by email at megan.e.mckenzie@balestrierefariello.com.