July 9 – Amid the post-pandemic return to traditional office settings, not all U.S. law firms are abandoning remote work. Fennemore Craig, a Phoenix-founded firm, announced a new formal program to hire lawyers in locations without its offices, joining a select group of firms offering full-time remote work options.
This initiative, leaders say, will give the 19-office, 327-lawyer firm an edge in recruiting and retaining talent by offering flexibility. “We think other firms are making a huge mistake by requiring everyone, regardless of their circumstances, to come into the office,” said Fennemore CEO and president James Goodnow. “Frankly, we want to take advantage of that.”
While many law firms have maintained some work-from-home flexibility post-pandemic, most have moved away from fully remote work, citing concerns over attorney mentoring and client service. According to an April report by the Thomson Reuters Institute, 56% of respondents from 105 U.S. law firms indicated that their firms require lawyers to come in at least three days per week.
Fennemore is not alone in offering a fully remote option. Midwest-founded national firm Husch Blackwell launched a virtual “office” in July 2020, allowing participants to “work from the location that makes the most sense for the individual.” This program has grown from around 50 lawyers and staff to over 700, including nearly 230 lawyers.
Similarly, Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan, a 1,000-lawyer litigation firm, adopted a policy in December 2021 allowing its U.S. lawyers to “work from anywhere,” with access to an “office base.” According to Andrew Rossman, co-managing partner of the firm’s New York office, the program has been successful and currently includes “well in excess” of 50 lawyers.
Fennemore’s new program, dubbed Fennemore Forward, already has 53 remote employees, including 18 lawyers and 35 legal professionals. This includes individuals who have moved to cities without physical offices. Goodnow emphasized that compensation will not differ based on remote or in-person status.
Chris Wilson, the program’s director, said the initiative will primarily recruit senior attorneys at the partner level with substantial books of business. He anticipates between 50 and 100 lawyers working remotely within a few years. Wilson also highlighted the program’s strong support system for remote workers, differentiating it from fully virtual firms. Remote lawyers will have access to Fennemore’s physical offices and events.
Wilson, a corporate and finance attorney, joined Fennemore a year ago to lead the remote program after working at two virtual or hybrid firms, Taylor English Duma and FisherBroyles. Early pandemic-era remote work boosted virtual firms, but Fennemore aims to combine remote flexibility with robust infrastructure and in-person network support.