Texas Firms Not Following State Rush in ‘Return Home’ to Office

For Baker Botts lawyers in Houston, Dallas, and Austin, returning to the office is voluntary for now. Orrick Herrington & Sutcliffe plans a flexible model for its two Texas offices. Burns Charest, a litigation boutique in Dallas, is requiring lawyers to come back—but not until mid-August.

Despite Texas Gov. Greg Abbott’s push for a fast return to pre-pandemic normalcy, law firms in the state are taking a nuanced approach on when lawyers return to offices—or if they need to come back at all.

“We had some folks that were gung-ho and were hoping we could get back this month or ...