Our August issue includes a wide range of key topics as staff return from vacations and our university readers prepare for students and faculty to be back on campus. First, our Third Annual Impact Awards! Nominations are open!

Two complementary articles look at return-to-office (RTO) policies: we present summary results from our 2026 Survey to understand both trends in policies as well as staff perceptions of in-office requirements. We supplement the data and analysis with a second article interviewing various offices about how their RTO policies are being implemented and evolving in 2026.

Another area we’re tracking is investments in legal support in offices, from in-house counsel to fully outsourced to every model in between.  This month’s article captures key findings from a recent webinar on the different approaches. Lastly, we offer a primer on how to build Standard Operating Procedures for your own office. Image: maya1313 / Adobe Stock