The Agony And Ecstasy Of The Law Firm Office

Much like the "casual dress" phenomenon, the issue of office space seems superficial, but lawyers across the country tell us that good office space can mean the difference between joy and sorrow at their firms. Below, we take a look at three aspects of the law firm office experience, and their impact on associate quality of life.

Working in an unappealing office space

Naturally, no one likes working in an office that's downright ugly. Unfortunately, this is a condition that some, even many, attorneys must endure. A writer for California Lawyer once quipped: "Someone with a sense of style - and decorum - could make a killing mediating the dicey disputes among lawyers who think they know from art and interior design. It's something that most attorneys, frankly, have no business considering."

On one hand, the prior quote couldn't be more correct. Take for example, the case of New York's Cahill, Gordon & Reindel. Cahill may have among the finest corporate and first amendment practices out there, but it certainly disappoints many of its associates in terms of office aesthetic. "For a large firm, it is downright embarrassing," admits one corporate associate about Cahill's New York headquarters. Says that contact: "I could go on for pages, but let's just say it's not good." What's so bad? "The decor is awful," moans another attorney. Another agrees that "the offices really are terrible."

Yet, other comments from Cahill's decor-challenged New York HQ indicate that working in the fugly office is far from fatal. In fact, it might even be a benefit. First, remember that styles change. In the words of one contact: "Cahill has not redecorated since they first leased this space in the 70s. Now everything is back in style again." Also, there might be financial upside. Another, rather defiant, associate asserts: "If they'd rather give us the money as opposed to spending it on artwork, which is exactly what they do, I am perfectly OK with that, and most associates share my view." Says one associate who shares that view: "There is no crystal in our conference rooms, but our partners make more money. Everyone is happy."~

Working in a cramped office

A more serious, and more frequent, scenario than the unattractive office is the cramped one. With record numbers of new and lateral recruits showing up for work, many top firms continue to ask more associates to double up. Nowhere is this more apparent than on the West Coast, particularly in booming Silicon Valley. For example, at Palo Alto's Wilson, Sonsini, Goodrich & Rosati, one contact reports: "we are expanding faster than we can get space." In particular, first-year associates must frequently double up. "First-years have to share," a contact tell us. "This makes it very difficult to concentrate." Another puts it more dramatically: "You just cannot get anything done when you are cramped together with an officemate who is on the phone all day or reviewing 100,000 pages of spread-out documents."

The West isn't alone here. At New York's Cravath, Swaine & Moore, insiders report that the firm is "running out of space and making mid-levels double up." As with Wilson Sonsini, our contacts reveal that sharing office space can lead to some unfortunate situations. "Sharing an office is awful because your office mate can essentially listen to all of your phone conversations," says one, adding: "You usually find yourself whispering on the phone, even if you're not saying anything private - it just becomes a habit." Naturally, sharing an office also makes it especially difficult to take care of, er, more delicate matters. An insider explains: "My last office mate was obviously accepting calls from headhunters and discussing Wall Street positions with them, but he was trying to talk cryptically so I wouldn't figure it out."

Working with no window

Ah what a difference a little blue sky makes! Many associates comment on the presence of a window as making or breaking their office space experience. One extreme example is Washington DC's Hogan & Hartson. A large, successful firm with many satisfied associates, Hogan trips across a serious downer in the office category: lack of windows in Washington. "Office space is a problem for Hogan," says a contact in DC, who laments that "associates usually spend three years in a windowless office." Confirms another: "Non-window offices for the first few years as an associate are a downer." "It's a long time to see a window," groans a colleague. "I miss daylight," laments another. ~

Working with no office?

Of course, it must be noted that lawyers' office space generally compares very favorably that of other industries. In particular, management consultants have their share of office woes. For example, accounting and consulting giant Ernst & Young has fully embraced "hoteling," a system requiring that E&Y employees "sign up" for office space when they are at their home office. While they are away, their personal effects, pictures of their pug, diplomas, etc. are squirreled away in a locker. "Offices are the bare minimum," says one of our E&Y contacts. "[Hoteling] creates a culture of feeling like you're never settled," says another consultant, who rather glumly notes that "the office space in New York is pretty miserable."