Ep 177: Why This Texas Law Firm Sent Its Staff to Portugal For A Month

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">At a time when law firms are struggling to retain talent and wrestling to balance hybrid workplaces, the Texas-based corporate law firm</span> <a href= "https://velawoodlaw.com/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Vela Wood</span></a> <span style="font-weight: 400;">did something unique: It sent its employees and their families to Portugal for a month. Why did it do it? How did it do it? What did clients think? And are there lessons for other firms?</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">For the answers to those questions and more, our guests this week are the two name partners of the firm:</span> <a href= "https://velawoodlaw.com/attorney/kevin-vela/"><span style= "font-weight: 400;">Kevin Vela</span></a><span style= "font-weight: 400;">, who is the firm’s managing partner, and</span> <a href= "https://velawoodlaw.com/attorney/radney-wood/"><span style= "font-weight: 400;">Radney Wood</span></a><span style= "font-weight: 400;">. As you will hear, theirs is not a traditional corporate firm in many respects, as they are selective in the clients they take on and committed to work-life balance among their employees. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Travel was already integral to the firm’s culture, in the belief that it helps develop more motivated and well-rounded employees. Partner Wood has traveled extensively throughout the world and founded a company to facilitate remote work for professionals. Several years ago, the firm adopted its Desk Independence program to encourage individual employees to work from other countries. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">But the Portugal trip — which the firm dubbed VW Abroad — took that to a new level, offering its entire staff the opportunity to work from Portugal for a month and bring their families. It offered a $3,000 stipend for travel, arranged a co-working space, and helped with travel and other activities. About half the staff took them up on the offer. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Bot