Few slabs were decided my ability to dow work, how does it matter whether done from wfh or physical office.You might be getting few "premium" for showing up your face at physical office to your boss or senior, I got no inclination to put anyone at risk , not me or my family, by coming to physical office and No, your stupid logic kanjoosgiri to cut fees would not be acceptable.What idiot logic, because we refuse physical office fees will be cut.

I think this conversation started on some sort of feku news to calm down the angry reactions towards those firms that are opening physically by trying to show that many/other law firms too opening physically.Kco name maybe got pulled in since they called ppl to base location(not office).Hmmm.I wonder who did this.

This pandemic has changed the way people will look at law firms.And Trilegal has seriously gained lot of brownie points.When others cut fixed salaries, Trilegal spared the associatesWhen bonus was not so great for others, Trilegal gave an extra months covid bonus pay to acknowledge everyone's hard work.

A little birdie tells me only the IP and litigation teams have been asked to return to base location. Said birdie also tells me that earlier this year, in the said KCO office, a partner, some associates and certain support staff members all contracted covid after a physical internal meeting in the office premises. The event was hushed and people were requested not to spread the word. Said birdie has also lamented that within office, quite a few people attending sit at their prebooked hotdesks, in small conference rooms, and / or roam around - without masks.

This makes no sense. People aren’t paid basis their expenses. They are paid basis the value they bring to the table. By your logic people whose families are from base locations should anyway be paid less as their expenses will always be lower. As for litigation, the job requires you to be physically present. Not the case with transactional law. That’s part of the choices you made.

This is still understandable to an extent.

I am from a non lit vertical and we have not being asked to return to base location.

I agree with KCO PA to the extent that, people should be allowed to be in base / remote location - so long as they can make themselves available for genuine requirements like physically appearing before a court of law.

(Genuine reasons should not include pandering to a clients request to meet them in person for a meeting that can be totally handled over call / email. However if these are far and between I don’t mind flying on for these)

Would you be okay taking a pay cut considering you don’t want to come to your base location and would have considerably less expenses at your home location?

When people from the litigation team are working from their base locations given the need basis requirements (so that they are available if and when required), its only fair that either everyone returns to the base location or that they take a pay cut because clearly ‘chilling in the comfort of your homes and also not having to spend on additional travel/food/rent expenses that others are spending’, shouldn’t pay equally as someone who is willing to show up when work demands or requires. Policies should be same for everyone in an organisation and hence if the litigation teams are in office when required, theres no reason an exception should be made for the other teams. Also, don’t tell me you havent stepped out in the “raging pandemic” at all because if you, I can smell hypocrisy.

SAM isn't opening offices any time soon. When I asked management to let me know when it will open, they told me to sit and home and work, since work is getting done, why should I want to come back to office :-(

I am sad because how will I suck up to seniors and put in facetime without being in office. During WFH everyone only cares about deliverables. Snack breaks are also fewer and further between :-(

CAM is reopening from mid September. Forcing everyone to come in. AZB has asked all associates in. Trilegal surprisingly for all their socialist policies is expecting people to come to office from October. All these so called tier 1 law firms in complete disregard of the upcoming festival season and the rising numbers with a 3rd phase on the anvil expect lawyers to risk their lives when work situation has clearly shown that associates are slogging away while at home. Such poor management. Cyril ensures Delaware situation and race to the bottom prevails.

So cuuuute... Your partner is either playing April fool with you or has a huge crush on you to call back to the base location.
Whatever you are saying is utter BS. What will we do after coming to base location if the office isn't resuming?
Kisi disco mein jaayein? Kisi hotel mein khaayein?

"But these subtle coercive measures severely undermine this reputation"

Asking you guy's to come to work is coercive ?, even after paying a six figure salary which no fresher in the industry makes? You all are double vaccinated and young.

"The partners seem to want to control the associates and have them available at their every beck and call, even while the pandemic rages on"

Yeah, that's why you are getting paid. Not to crib here on LI.

KCO is asking partners of teams to informally communicate to all associates to get them to return to base location. There has been no official communication or policy from HR or senior management as yet. Teams have been informed that they have to return to base location as per date set by partners discretion - office attendance is not mandatory as yet. Why this hurry to get people to relocate to base location while the covid numbers are on the rise again, especially in Mumbai, Delhi and Kolkata? It is understandable for litigation teams to be asked to return, but for those in transactions / IP etc. why the rush? KCO is generally known to be the best firm to work at but these subtle coercive measures severely undermine this reputation. The partners seem to want to control the associates and have them available at their every beck and call, even while the pandemic rages on, and the job does not require us to be in our base location or in a physical office. Is there anyone else from KCO who does not want to return to base location now? Can we please unite?