How international law firms dealt with the COVID-19 outbreak?

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Jun 02, 2021

Written By Raphael Jucobin

The Covid-19 pandemic which ravaged the world from the winter of 2020 continues to have a major impact on industries across the professional world, not least the legal sector which experienced an upheaval as a result of the outbreak of the virus. With high levels of uncertainty, any contingency plans that law firms have had in place will have been crucial in order to navigate through these difficult circumstances.

In many cases, some of the steps taken by international law firms will have consisted of changes that were already on their way. This is the case when it comes to social distancing regulations leading to the closure of offices, as it has also shown that working from home is an increasingly feasible option across the sector. Christopher Hutton, a partner at Hogan Lovells, explains, “Although we were already moving towards an increasingly flexible working practices, lockdown has accelerated that. For some, it has demonstrated that working from home is possible, and for others it has reinforced the advantages of the office environment. Inevitably, the forced experiment of lockdown will result greater flexibility and choice of working practices for lawyers.”

These circumstances have nonetheless facilitated some aspects of work by removing the barrier of location, meaning international firms are able to function more cohesively, as well as the faster adoption of technological advancements in the workplace and a more flexible working culture in general. Christopher Hutton details that, “At Hogan Lovells we have been working as a single, global team for over a decade. We are used to communicating with each other using all types of technology, and so when lockdown started we were able to adapt quickly to the new situation.”

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Any deals that law firms advise on are now done remotely and in a virtual format, meaning the ways in which firms interact with their clients has also changed drastically - the nature of the legal profession is increasingly digitalised. This has also been the case with court proceedings, with many judgements now handed down remotely, meaning another facet of the legal profession would move to a virtual environment. However, Christopher Hutton explains that this has increased cohesiveness between Hogan Lovells and their clients. “Lockdown has also put law firms in a position where they are experiencing and navigating the same challenges as their clients. We have been able to share our experiences across our global offices with our clients – for example, where offices went into, or came out of, lockdown earlier than others. Sharing our experiences with clients, alongside advising them on the specific issues they face, helps us build even closer relationships with our clients.”

Law firms have also had to take into account the economic downturn that the pandemic has caused, which will have inevitably led to a decrease in transactions in which they are involved. Overall, markets have been hit hard by the pandemic and its subsequent economic consequences, with mergers and acquisitions deals dropping by around 16% as investments have dried up in the midst of the crisis and a recession appears on the horizon.

Planning ahead is especially important in the midst of a continually developing set of circumstances, as the outlook regarding the spread of Covid-19 has often changed from week-to-week. The legal landscape in many practice areas is fast-changing as industries deal with the fallout and changing conditions of the post-pandemic world and lawmakers look to respond to the crisis.

The Covid-19 pandemic has also seen law firms appreciate their practice and culture given the response of their fee-earners and staff in adapting to the ‘new normal’. Christopher Hutton appreciates that “Lockdown has, more than ever, demonstrated that you do not need a building to be a Global Elite law firm. Throughout lockdown we have maintained everything that makes Hogan Lovells so special – our culture, our cohesiveness, and the quality of our work.”

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