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JenDarby

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Re: what % pay cut are you willing to take for an office with real walls?

Post by JenDarby » Mon Nov 20, 2017 11:52 am

nealric wrote:I've had a job candidate tell me an office with real walls is worth about $10k a year. Sounds about right to me. Incidentally, that's considerably more than 200sq ft of Class A office space costs per year in my city. Yet, for reasons I can't quite comprehend, plenty of employers of highly compensated professionals seem to think going open office is a good idea :roll:
I spent some time in a completely open floor plan as a lawyer (on the trading floor) and I much preferred it to my current glass cage. at least I wasn't both secluded and without privacy at the same time
Last edited by JenDarby on Mon Jan 29, 2018 10:43 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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nealric

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Re: what % pay cut are you willing to take for an office with real walls?

Post by nealric » Mon Nov 20, 2017 12:27 pm

JenDarby wrote:
nealric wrote:I've had a job candidate tell me an office with real walls is worth about $10k a year. Sounds about right to me. Incidentally, that's considerably more than 200sq ft of Class A office space costs per year in my city. Yet, for reasons I can't quite comprehend, plenty of employers of highly compensated professionals seem to think going open office is a good idea :roll:
I spent some time in a completely open floor plan as a lawyer (on the trading floor) and I much preferred it to my current glass cage. at least I wasn't both secluded and without privacy at the same time
Well, I mean real walls- not glass.

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Re: what % pay cut are you willing to take for an office with real walls?

Post by ookoshi » Mon Nov 20, 2017 12:37 pm

Between changing in and out of a suit (for events and client meetings), and in and out of casual clothes (esp. when going to/from the airport), being able to change in the office is really convenient. I'm very glad glass offices are not on the table here (although a couple of our west coast offices have them).

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JenDarby

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Re: what % pay cut are you willing to take for an office with real walls?

Post by JenDarby » Mon Nov 20, 2017 12:45 pm

nealric wrote:
JenDarby wrote:
nealric wrote:I've had a job candidate tell me an office with real walls is worth about $10k a year. Sounds about right to me. Incidentally, that's considerably more than 200sq ft of Class A office space costs per year in my city. Yet, for reasons I can't quite comprehend, plenty of employers of highly compensated professionals seem to think going open office is a good idea :roll:
I spent some time in a completely open floor plan as a lawyer (on the trading floor) and I much preferred it to my current glass cage. at least I wasn't both secluded and without privacy at the same time
Well, I mean real walls- not glass.
right. I was just emphasizing that (unfrosted) glass is so shitty that I even preferred an entirely open trading floor
Last edited by JenDarby on Mon Jan 29, 2018 10:43 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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A. Nony Mouse

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Re: what % pay cut are you willing to take for an office with real walls?

Post by A. Nony Mouse » Mon Nov 20, 2017 1:00 pm

MarkinKansasCity wrote:My firm is way behind the times. The only glass in my office is on the outside wall, and when they remodeled the offices 10 years ago, one of the partners made sure that they used solid-core wood doors and doubled-up sheetrock for soundproofing. It's magical.
We have real offices - I cannot even imagine the feds ever going for glass walls - but the soundproofing is for shit, and I know the guy next to me hears all my calls (because he’s basically said so), which makes me absolutely paranoid.

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Re: what % pay cut are you willing to take for an office with real walls?

Post by jingosaur » Mon Nov 20, 2017 1:01 pm

My sole professional ambition is to be the only person who can see my computer screen.

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Re: what % pay cut are you willing to take for an office with real walls?

Post by TEIAM » Mon Nov 20, 2017 1:02 pm

A. Nony Mouse wrote:
MarkinKansasCity wrote:My firm is way behind the times. The only glass in my office is on the outside wall, and when they remodeled the offices 10 years ago, one of the partners made sure that they used solid-core wood doors and doubled-up sheetrock for soundproofing. It's magical.
We have real offices - I cannot even imagine the feds ever going for glass walls - but the soundproofing is for shit, and I know the guy next to me hears all my calls (because he’s basically said so), which makes me absolutely paranoid.
I know at least one DC Fed. office with glass walls.

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Re: what % pay cut are you willing to take for an office with real walls?

Post by Blindweaponsfumbler » Mon Nov 20, 2017 1:08 pm

MarkinKansasCity wrote:My firm is way behind the times. The only glass in my office is on the outside wall, and when they remodeled the offices 10 years ago, one of the partners made sure that they used solid-core wood doors and doubled-up sheetrock for soundproofing. It's magical.
You hiring?

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A. Nony Mouse

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Re: what % pay cut are you willing to take for an office with real walls?

Post by A. Nony Mouse » Mon Nov 20, 2017 1:09 pm

TEIAM wrote:
A. Nony Mouse wrote:
MarkinKansasCity wrote:My firm is way behind the times. The only glass in my office is on the outside wall, and when they remodeled the offices 10 years ago, one of the partners made sure that they used solid-core wood doors and doubled-up sheetrock for soundproofing. It's magical.
We have real offices - I cannot even imagine the feds ever going for glass walls - but the soundproofing is for shit, and I know the guy next to me hears all my calls (because he’s basically said so), which makes me absolutely paranoid.
I know at least one DC Fed. office with glass walls.
Well now I know to fear the possible future.

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TEIAM

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Re: what % pay cut are you willing to take for an office with real walls?

Post by TEIAM » Mon Nov 20, 2017 1:10 pm

A. Nony Mouse wrote:
TEIAM wrote:
A. Nony Mouse wrote:
MarkinKansasCity wrote:My firm is way behind the times. The only glass in my office is on the outside wall, and when they remodeled the offices 10 years ago, one of the partners made sure that they used solid-core wood doors and doubled-up sheetrock for soundproofing. It's magical.
We have real offices - I cannot even imagine the feds ever going for glass walls - but the soundproofing is for shit, and I know the guy next to me hears all my calls (because he’s basically said so), which makes me absolutely paranoid.
I know at least one DC Fed. office with glass walls.
Well now I know to fear the possible future.
It's a newer building so that contributes. DOJ is moving at some point, no?

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A. Nony Mouse

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Re: what % pay cut are you willing to take for an office with real walls?

Post by A. Nony Mouse » Mon Nov 20, 2017 1:16 pm

Not in DC, so a newer building seems pretty unlikely, at least until this one falls down around us.

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xRON MEXiCOx

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Re: what % pay cut are you willing to take for an office with real walls?

Post by xRON MEXiCOx » Mon Nov 20, 2017 1:21 pm

Why have glass walls? Isn’t that more expensive than dry wall?

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JenDarby

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Re: what % pay cut are you willing to take for an office with real walls?

Post by JenDarby » Mon Nov 20, 2017 1:27 pm

jingosaur wrote:My sole professional ambition is to be the only person who can see my computer screen.
I have my desk positioned in a less than favorable way, but for it's the only position that keeps my monitors out of view when people walk by/in
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jingosaur

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Re: what % pay cut are you willing to take for an office with real walls?

Post by jingosaur » Mon Nov 20, 2017 2:10 pm

xRON MEXiCOx wrote:Why have glass walls? Isn’t that more expensive than dry wall?
Lol at law firms caring about cost effectiveness in office design.

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Re: what % pay cut are you willing to take for an office with real walls?

Post by foregetaboutdre » Mon Nov 20, 2017 2:16 pm

xRON MEXiCOx wrote:Why have glass walls? Isn’t that more expensive than dry wall?
I was assuming so hence why so many firms are switching, but then I read this...

https://bizfluent.com/info-7864152-glas ... walls.html

Wtf - this profession requires basically a ton of silence to read/write and doesn't have a huge collaboration component for individual work. And they are still pressing open concept offices. I don't get it.

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Re: what % pay cut are you willing to take for an office with real walls?

Post by Anonymous User » Mon Nov 20, 2017 2:30 pm

The firm I'm going to has normal walls and a heavy, fairly sound-proof door, but there's a full-length window about 2-3 feet wide next to the door, so people walking by can glimpse inside.

When changing, I had to stand behind the door basically.

Although firm is an open-door kinda firm, and people only close their doors for calls or if they need privacy for something. So I guess firms like that aren't too different from complete glass.

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Re: what % pay cut are you willing to take for an office with real walls?

Post by lolwat » Mon Nov 20, 2017 2:48 pm

Anonymous User wrote:The firm I'm going to has normal walls and a heavy, fairly sound-proof door, but there's a full-length window about 2-3 feet wide next to the door, so people walking by can glimpse inside.

. . .

Although firm is an open-door kinda firm, and people only close their doors for calls or if they need privacy for something. So I guess firms like that aren't too different from complete glass.
Mine was like this but eventually frosted the glass. And then apparently regretted that they did that. I sort of get the concept of having open doors and open concept and all that stuff, and it looks nice, but it's horrible in practice for the people who actually have to work there.

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Re: what % pay cut are you willing to take for an office with real walls?

Post by Anonymous User » Mon Nov 20, 2017 2:52 pm

I do appellate work, so I spend most of my day drafting briefs and motions. If I couldn't just close my door and have total privacy, I would lose it (and be way less productive).

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Re: what % pay cut are you willing to take for an office with real walls?

Post by dabigchina » Mon Nov 20, 2017 4:09 pm

I honestly didn't mind having a glass office.

Granted, I was moving from having no office, so I was just psyched I didn't have to listen to the girl next to me chew with her mouth open anymore.

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Re: what % pay cut are you willing to take for an office with real walls?

Post by lolwat » Mon Nov 20, 2017 4:17 pm

Anonymous User wrote:I do appellate work, so I spend most of my day drafting briefs and motions. If I couldn't just close my door and have total privacy, I would lose it (and be way less productive).
That's basically me, too. My office also happens to be close to areas where people tend to chat. And there are people who talk really fucking loudly. I find my productivity goes WAY up when I have full privacy. (Lots of appellate people I've talked to seem to work a lot from home too.) I do take a break every so often to, e.g., post here, but I'd probably be doing that anyway.

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Re: what % pay cut are you willing to take for an office with real walls?

Post by BaiAilian2013 » Mon Nov 20, 2017 4:21 pm

LaLiLuLeLo wrote:
strawberrieee wrote:Just curious, what do you guys do in your office that you need to hide?

I shared my office with another summer associate this past summer who felt the need to open the door all day and I did not find it troublesome.
Nap. Dick around without people creeping. Keep partners on their toes as to whether I'm in the office or not. Change clothes. Eat food without people seeing me stuff my pie hole. Rock out to music. Pick my nose.
Nap. Wardrobe adjustment. Change clothes. Cry. Do some little exercises with a resistance band or a light kettlebell to wake up or calm down. Apply or fix makeup. Pace while proofreading or on a call to get in those Fitbit steps. Do personal stuff on my computer. Clip a nail that is driving me crazy. Maybe unbutton my pants if I ate too much or have a stomach ache.

My firm went from real walls to glass this year. I hate that they did that, I hate how fucking dumb and misguided it is, I hate that management did it even though most attorneys didn't want it, I hate that it screws over the practices that require the most concentration and no one fucking cares about us, and I hate that I can't nap. However, in terms of my day to day happiness, it's not the unrelenting misery I thought it would be. I'm in an area with fairly low traffic, which may help. The only things I've gotten shameless about out of necessity are the pacing, makeup, clipping a nail or two, and once or twice crying when I was really pissed - like why should I have to leave my own damn office for someone else's comfort. (I do not recommend this approach, just being honest.)

So overall, despite how much I HATE the whole concept, money is money and I don't think I'd take a pay cut greater than the lesser of $10,000 or 5% of salary plus bonus.

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Re: what % pay cut are you willing to take for an office with real walls?

Post by jd20132013 » Mon Nov 20, 2017 4:47 pm

Lol at the summer not understanding why you might need the privacy

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AntipodeanPhil

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Re: what % pay cut are you willing to take for an office with real walls?

Post by AntipodeanPhil » Mon Nov 20, 2017 11:04 pm

5% sounds about right to me. It is far and away the first thing I would consider if picking between law firms though.

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Re: what % pay cut are you willing to take for an office with real walls?

Post by sublime » Mon Nov 20, 2017 11:49 pm

Yea. About 5 percent. I'm in a shared office now and it's been over a year, but I really like dude so I don't mind. Wouldn't be down for open. Next office is probably frosted glass though, which I can deal with.

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Pokemon

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Re: what % pay cut are you willing to take for an office with real walls?

Post by Pokemon » Tue Nov 21, 2017 5:25 am

I like glass offices. I can keep the door closed at all times without feeling like I am being rude.

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