The happiest part-time attorneys appear to be those who have flexibility both inside and outside the office, are respected for the quality of their work and their contribution to their firms, and have direct responsibility for their cases with corresponding control over their scheduling. Area of practice does not bar reduced-hours schedules . While such a schedule is often feasible, where it is not feasible, alternatives exist. One alternative is for attorneys to take fewer cases or fewer clients. The key issue is whether reduced-hours attorneys actually feel free to leave work when the demands of a particular case diminish or whether informal expectations preclude them from doing so.
Firm managers have concerns about client service.
In interviews with Project investigators, law firm managers expressed concern about the ability of part-time attorneys to provide quality client service. Technology makes this easier, and some firms provide personal organizers, cell phones, laptops, and fax machines to their attorneys. A number of part-time attorneys reported that they promptly return client calls when they are not in the office and clients do not know if the attorneys are calling from the playground. Finally, it must be recognized that a high turnover rate for attorneys also damages client relationships and it is therefore in everyone s interest to make part-time schedules work well. Its anticipated release date is the end of May, 2001.