b'Local Government Lawyer 3ContentsWelcome to the Life after Lockdown survey and report produced by Local Government Lawyer in conjunction LexisNexis UK.2020 has been, to put it mildly, a strange year. For local government lawyers professional lives, the biggest change has been the sudden almost blanket imposition of remote working with all the professional, technical and emotional challenges that brings.To gauge the effect and future impact of remote working on the professional lives of local authority lawyers, Local Government Lawyer and LexisNexis ran two surveys in the summerone of legal department management and another of all lawyers working in local authorities. Seventy heads of legal took part in the management survey,p4, Home and awaywhile 448 lawyers completed the generalDerek Bedlow looks at what the results of the Life after Lockdown research will mean for the future survey. of working life for local government lawyers.As well as providing a snapshot of lawyers attitudes to remote working, the researchp11, Virtual courts, real justicealso looked at the potential long-termThe lockdown has shown that online courts are here to stay. Neasa MacErlean looks at the consequences of the accidental experimentexperience of local government lawyers over the past few months and the lessons to be learned.in remote working imposed by the Covid-19 epidemic. p14, Fit for the futureIs remote working set to become aSupporting efficient remote working is now an imperative for local government legal departments, permanent feature of the local authoritywrites Simon Farthing.legal landscape and, if so, what are the implications for managers and staff? Whatp17, Covid-19: The impact on wellbeing of working from homecan be doneboth organisationally andLawcares Elizabeth Rimmer provides some tips for employees and employers on how to mitigate technicallyto ensure that more flexiblethe downsides of remote working.forms of employment can maintain the quality and quantity of legal work required while protecting the physical and emotional well-being of local government legal staff?Finally, will the use of virtual courtrooms and online hearings during the pandemic continue beyond the social distancing measuresand what are the implications if they do?In short, the answer is that many have found the experience of remote working liberating and most would prefer it to continue once the Covid-19 pandemic is over. But a number of significant challenges and adjustments remain if it is to do so sustainably.Local Government LawyerLocalgovernmentlawyer.co.ukEditor Publisher AdvertisingPhilip Hoult Derek Bedlow Kate Coynephilip.hoult@localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk derek.bedlow@localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk kate@localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk'