Bloomberg Law Interviews Melissa Jones on Challenges of Working from Home During Pandemic

Firm Managing Partner Melissa Jones was interviewed for a Bloomberg Law Business & Practice article titled “Leading Questions: Stoel Rives Boss Advocates for Self-Care,” published August 28, 2020. Jones discusses how she is faring working from home, several steps the firm has taken to help employees cope and a favorite story from the quarantine.

Jones said that her biggest challenge in working from home is not having the face-to-face connection with others at the firm. In response, she is “deliberate about scheduling check-in calls with partners around the firm. It’s not the same as walking the halls, but I think people appreciate it.”

Jones also mentioned resources the firm has provided to employees to support them in working from home: “…everything from tips about dealing with online schooling to tools for self-care and staying healthy. We also send out a weekly email that shares stories, tips, and photos from people throughout the firm, which is a fun and uplifting read.”

Finally, she talked about the trials of taking in a dog during the quarantine: “Ultimately, it was a great decision, but having to train a puppy while working added more stress to our lives than I would have expected. Now that he’s potty trained and not chewing on everything in sight, we’re very happy to have him in our lives.”