Remote Work Trends in the Legal Industry

Over the last few years, remote work has gone from being a necessity during the pandemic to being one of several viable work models. Companies have had to decide for themselves whether they will require employees to return to offices or allow remote and hybrid work to continue. Today, the percentage of work days spent working in a remote capacity is six times what it was before the pandemic, sitting comfortably at 30%.

The legal industry has not been immune to the remote vs. in-office debate. To find out more, we went directly to attorneys and other legal professionals to ask them for their thoughts on remote work, hybrid work policies, and the subsequent use of remote depositions.

Find out what they had to say—and what it means for the future of remote legal work—with this summary based on U.S. Legal Support’s 2023 Litigation Support Trend Survey. 

→ Missed the full survey results? Click here to download the litigation support trends infographic.

The Prevalence of Remote Work

Despite the general shift back to in-person activities over the past two years, remote work options have continued to be relevant in the legal industry.

Remote work can be implemented in various ways. Some people work exclusively from home, while others follow a hybrid approach, splitting their time between the office and their house (or the local coffee shop). A hybrid model provides increased flexibility and serves as an effective plan for future work arrangements.

In our survey, we asked how often legal professionals work in-person at the office each week:

• Of the hybrid workers, 7.3% said they work in-office one day a week, and 32% work in-office 2-3 days a week
• 44% of respondents work in-office full-time (five days a week)
• 11% of respondents said they work fully remote

The normalization of remote and hybrid work environments is still relatively new, but a majority of legal professionals believe remote work is here to stay.

Similarly, on the topic of remote depositions:

• 45% of respondents think remote deposition use will stay the same in 2024
• 31% believe remote deposition use will increase in 2024

With that solid projection for the year ahead, let’s look at what makes remote depositions so useful.

The Benefits of Remote Depositions

Remote depositions have changed the game for legal professionals. They are efficient, affordable, and secure. They also mark a breakthrough in making depositions more accessible for all parties involved. 

When selecting a remote deposition platform, here’s what legal professionals said they look for in terms of functionality:

• Ease of use – 68% of respondents said they appreciate how easy it is to use remote deposition technology. 

• Functionality – 60% of respondents said functionality of the remote deposition platform is paramount when selecting a platform. Our remote deposition platform is equipped to mirror in-person proceedings, including digital exhibit sharing and private breakout room functionality.

• Affordability – 31% of respondents appreciate how affordable remote deposition technology is. With this technology, you can spend less on travel expenses and maximize your work day by reducing, or eliminating, commute times.

• Security – 27% of respondents value the security of remote depositions platforms. When vetting remote deposition providers, make sure to ask about their cybersecurity and data security policies.
  
   FREE CHECKLIST: 9 Essential Cybersecurity Questions to Ask When Vetting Litigation Support Service Providers

Stay Up-to-Date on Remote Deposition Technology with U.S. Legal Support

It remains clear that the quality of remote deposition technology is essential to an efficient and productive remote work environment. That’s why U.S. Legal Support is proud that our remote deposition services allow firms to conduct remote depositions easily and securely.

Find out how U.S. Legal Support can support your next remote deposition and schedule a proceeding today.

Sources:

Princeton University Press. Return to office? How COVID-19 and remote work reshaped the economy. https://press.princeton.edu/ideas/return-to-office-how-covid-19-and-remote-work-reshaped-the-economy

Princeton University Press. Return to office? How COVID-19 and remote work reshaped the economy. https://press.princeton.edu/ideas/return-to-office-how-covid-19-and-remote-work-reshaped-the-economy

Julie Feller

Julie Feller is the Head of Marketing at U.S. Legal Support. Prior to U.S. Legal Support, Julie worked at Abacus Data Systems (now Caret Legal) providing legal technology platforms and services to legal professionals across the country.