Personally, I've been saying for years that these biglaw firms (save for maybe the very top ones) should move like 60% of their space outside Manhattan. Now THAT would be a big cost savings.

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=2977676&forum_id=2#28662603)

On paper, the legal profession would be a very easy one to make mostly remote. In my experience, most law firms consist of people who come to one building, each has their own office, then doesn't see each other in person except in the hallways. There is really no good reason that a law firm couldn't have a much smaller office and adopt the policy that people only come in when needed, with allowing proven lawyers to work completely remote from anywhere in the world. The reason this isn't really happening is entirely cultural.

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=2977676&forum_id=2#28662623)

But with the amount of partners who live outside the city, it certainly makes sense to move a significant portion of the physical plant outside the city, sorta like Boies Schiller. The cost savings must be astronomical. At the very least, moving all the back office stuff 30 mins outside the city is worthwhile.

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=2977676&forum_id=2#28662638)

*carries hundreds of pounds of files on Subway*

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=2977676&forum_id=2#28662644)

The other thing is that if law students have options between a cubicle law firm and one that gives them real office I don't think there's going to be any question which one they choose.

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=2977676&forum_id=2#28664598)

http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/social-issues/the-end-of-the-corner-office-a-big-dc-law-firm-designs-its-new-space-with-idealistic-millennials-in-mind/2015/06/21/8851f3e6-15e5-11e5-9518-f9e0a8959f32_story.html

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=2977676&forum_id=2#28663072)

"God damn millennial brats takin ARE offices!!!"

gas them all

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=2977676&forum_id=2#28666837)

I asked the two millennials standing next to me at this party "uh, have you ever thought about doing that?" and they were both like "fuck no"

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=2977676&forum_id=2#28666895)

This was brought up negatively at my next performance review.

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=2977676&forum_id=2#28679870)

Uh-oh, a shortage of lawyers! How will society survive??

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=2977676&forum_id=2#28666492)

My in house job has offices for everyone down to the paralegals.

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=2977676&forum_id=2#28666716)

i remember interviewing at ph and walking down the hall with some partner.

i saw a first year office - glass partition in the middle - and two sad looking associates sitting on either side. i asked the partner "what's that about?" he chuckled and said "oh they like it."

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=2977676&forum_id=2#28666690)

This is absolutely something that you should weigh when choosing a firm. Everything else is flame but layoffs and having your own office are the one thing that differs between firms that can really affect your career and mental health. I know this place isn't prefstegious anymore so most of you have no options, but the ones that do, DON'T CHOOSE LATHAM OR PAUL HASTINGS. Fuck firms that do this shit.

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=2977676&forum_id=2#28666799)

The open zones will be cordoned off from the rest of the office by a wall of glass, and dividers will separate each desk. “There’s plenty of privacy,” Mr. Brooks said. <<

Cot damn, this is just so disingenuous and scummy.

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=2977676&forum_id=2#28666891)

I moved from having my own office to sharing one when I switched firms and it is definitely pretty annoying in some ways, but you get used to it, and it is kind of nice how much more social everything is, vs. sitting in your own office and never seeing another human ever.

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=2977676&forum_id=2#28679504)

That said, what is most bothersome is the suggestion that this is about collaboration or about doing something that millennials prefer -- no it's not, it's about fucking money. Just fucking say that.

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=2977676&forum_id=2#28679924)

Also, in the UK firms, part of the rationale is training - trainees are put with partners and not even the managing partner would rate a solo office. Clumping a bunch of first years together at the end of the hallway doesn't help the first years any.

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=2977676&forum_id=2#28679971)

In terms of other stuff, I miss being able to take a quick nap in the office, or have personal phone calls, but it's not that big a deal - most of the time I was only making personal calls after hours anyway and even now it's rare that both I and my officemate are working late at the same time. It's a little awk for stuff like calling the doctor, but I realize that no one gives a fuck about my medical issues just like I don't give a fuck about anyone else's. Obviously I couldn't take calls from recruiters/apply to new jobs, but I just moved here so that hasn't been a problem yet.

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=2977676&forum_id=2#28679964)

"yeah it sucks but it doesn't suck but when it COULD suck, well, it hasn't yet"

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=2977676&forum_id=2#28750184)

But honestly it's hard to get too worked up over sharing an office with one other person, when everyone else in the corporate world (including the MDs at Goldman, etc.) are sitting in open plan offices. Plenty of things are annoying about biglaw but honestly sharing an office is NBD.

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=2977676&forum_id=2#28753145)