These BigLaw firms plan to mandate vaccines; 2 will deactivate building IDs for noncompliance
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Updated: Several BigLaw firms plan to require coronavirus vaccines for those returning to the office, including two firms with a get-tough policy for noncompliance.
Law.com’s “vaccine mandate tracker” on Thursday listed more than 20 mostly BigLaw firms that are requiring vaccination for those returning to the office.
Some firms are mandating vaccines for those at the office before full office reopenings while evaluating their future policies. Others are requiring vaccines before any reopening. Many policies mention exceptions for those with religious objections or medical issues.
The vaccine mandate by Davis Polk & Wardwell may be among the strictest BigLaw policies, Law.com reports in a separate story.
The firm plans to deactivate ID cards for anyone who doesn’t get their vaccination by the end of the day Sept. 12, according to a memo obtained by the publication.
Davis Polk is making exceptions for medical or religious reasons, but there is “no guarantee that a request will be granted,” the memo said.
Staff members and lawyers are required to get the vaccine, along with firm visitors.
The law firm declined to comment when contacted by Law.com.
Another firm that plans to deactivate building keycards for the unvaccinated is McDermott Will & Emery, Law.com reports in another story. Exemptions for medical or religious reasons will have to go through an internal approval process.
Law firm announcements are trickling out. Last week, Law.com reported that it surveyed about 40 law firms with offices in Washington, D.C., and learned of three that plan to require vaccines.
Besides Davis Polk, these law firms responded to the survey:
• Arent Fox, which said it will require lawyers and staff members to be vaccinated by Sept. 6 “due to the clear and present danger of the delta variant for both unvaccinated and vaccinated people.”
• Hogan Lovells, which said its new interim policy asks only fully vaccinated people to come to the office. The policy is in effect until mid-September. The firm plans to reassess its approach in mid- to late-August.
Most firms responding to Law.com’s D.C. survey declined to comment or said they were monitoring the situation.
In earlier stories, Law.com reported that these law firms are also requiring vaccines for anyone entering the office:
• Lowenstein Sandler
• Dickinson Wright
• Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison
• Mintz, Levin, Cohn, Ferris, Glovsky and Popeo
• Davis Wright Tremaine
Bloomberg Law reports that these firms are also requiring vaccines:
• Reed Smith
• Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson
• Cooley
As of Thursday, Law.com’s vaccine tracker listed other firms that are requiring vaccines, either temporarily or before full reopenings. The larger firms include:
• Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld
• Crowell & Moring
• Goodwin Procter
• Norton Rose Fulbright
• Patterson Belknap Webb & Tyler
• Ropes & Gray
• Schiff Hardin
Updated Aug. 5 at 3:02 p.m. to include additional the law firms.
