Firms Delay Office Returns, Raising Fear of ‘Irreparable Harm’

Many law firms targeting office returns shortly after Labor Day have since delayed those plans, citing the recent spike in Covid-19 infections caused by the delta variant.

Dechert and Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner have bumped their reopening dates to Oct. 4 from early September. Mintz Levin, which was slated to reopen on Monday, has moved its reopening date to Oct.18, as has Wall Street’s Simpson Thacher & Bartlett.

Elite New York firm Davis Polk & Wardwell went ahead with its office reopening on Monday, but said it wouldn’t require associates and counsel to come in for a specific number of ...