BigLaw firm mostly goes meeting-free this week to address fatigue
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Dentons banned most meetings this week for lawyers and business professionals to make it easier to catch up on large projects or to take time off.
It’s the second time Dentons has implemented a no-meetings week, Law.com reports. The first was the last week of December. This time, Dentons U.S. CEO Mike McNamara copied and pasted the December memo into a new email.
The pause applies to standing meetings, but not those tied to client and project deadlines.
“We have standing calls that are important, and particularly important in the virtual world, for connectivity, team building and culture,” McNamara told Law.com. “But we asked, ‘Can we step back from them and use that time to allow colleagues to refresh, charge batteries, switch off, and have time to feel like they can get away without missing out on the team?’ ”
Law.com notes that other law firms are also addressing fatigue.
Baker McKenzie offices in the United Kingdom encouraged an internal meeting ban on Wednesdays for a “Well-Being Wednesday.” And Orrick Herrington & Sutcliffe is asking its staff members and lawyers to take a week off to “truly unplug.” The time off will count toward billable hours.
