Including trainees
Travers Smith has become the latest City outfit to embrace agile working.
Rolled out this week, the new initiative — described as a “significant step forward in embedding an agile working culture across the firm” — will be open to all lawyers and support staff. The silver circle firm has confirmed to Legal Cheek that trainees will also be able to benefit.
According to Travers, “working agilely means working whenever and wherever is most appropriate, if an individual’s role, personal development requirements and business needs permit.”
In a bid to encourage uptake, those wishing to take advantage of the new initiative will not have to seek “formal” permission first. Stressing that client service and development will “remain paramount”, Travers says it will be up to the individual to decide whether working away from the office is the right thing to do.
Travers Smith’s managing partner, David Patient, noted one of the “key issues” facing the firm is maintaining work/life balance while still meeting clients’ expectations. Continuing, he said:
We are fully aware that new technologies and the demands of working across different time zones in today’s global market are transforming the modern workplace. It is therefore important to us to remain competitive and support the needs of our people and clients, and to continue to be able to attract and retain the greatest diversity of talent.
This latest news comes weeks after global law firm Reed Smith confirmed it had implemented a new agile working policy within its London office. A more “ad-hoc approach” to office life, the scheme allows “all personnel” to work away from the office and operate on flexible hours.
Other firms to unveil similar initiatives include Macfarlanes, Freshfields, White & Case, Shearman & Sterling and Herbert Smith Freehills.
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