Holiday Party Invite Pre SA Forum

[Anonymous User]

So I got invited to a party too. The firm is in town and the party will be in a very convenient location < 30 min away. The only thing is, I've never been to a firm holiday party yet or any firm event - this will be my first firm that I am joining. What should I expect at a holiday party? Just a bunch of drunk people? That's what I'm picking up from the comments. Also, the party happens to land during finals week but not during a test.

[seatown12]

I'm in the same boat. A partner I interviewed with was copied on my invitation. I replied saying that I appreciated the invitation, but it would be extremely difficult for me to drive the 5 hours to attend a party right before finals. The partner replied "You should probably make time for this." So I'm going.

Firm life: "parties" are turned into inconvenient obligations and all your bosses are passive-aggressive douchebags. You couldn't pay me enough.

[ben4847]

Firm life: "parties" are turned into inconvenient obligations and all your bosses are passive-aggressive douchebags. You couldn't pay me enough.

+1
Well, maybe if you really paid me a lot. Like maybe I'd do it for 160k a year with possible bonuses.

[c3pO4]

Firm life: "parties" are turned into inconvenient obligations and all your bosses are passive-aggressive douchebags. You couldn't pay me enough.

^ you just described every job lol. Keep hating on law, I'm sure you'll love the alternative

[keg411]

Firm life: "parties" are turned into inconvenient obligations and all your bosses are passive-aggressive douchebags. You couldn't pay me enough.

^ you just described every job lol. Keep hating on law, I'm sure you'll love the alternative

Seriously, it's free food, free alcohol, being sociable and not making an asshole out of yourself. If you can't go talk to people for a couple of hours, you are going to have a shitload of problems in any job.

[Anonymous User]

A couple days ago I got an invite to the holiday party from the firm that I will be SAing at this summer. It's a biglaw firm in DC that usually has around 10-15 SAs and I go to school in DC, so it would be very easy to go.
Is it normal to get invited to a holiday party prior to actually doing any work? I feel like it would be weird in some ways to actually go (and that I got invited merely as a courtesy sort of thing?), but on the other hand some of my friends have said it would be poor form to not go. The party takes place pre exam time.

Mainly just curious as to what people think.

I have the same reservations about going as you. It would be easy for me to attend as well. I just don't want to end up getting stuck in an awkward situation, basically hurting my chances even before I can get judged on my work and interactions with my more immediate colleagues. And I do appreciate the importance of social networking within a firm, but I feel it might be safer to skip the holiday party now. Underlying all this of course is the fact that I don't have any experience with such semi-formal office events. I know I'll have to get used to them, I'm just not sure a cold drop into one is a good idea at this stage, at least for me.

Thoughts?

[nbaguy]

What if your firm is 8+ hours away and you have exams on either side of the invitation date, but not on the same day? Plane tickets are ~$300 and I'm a poor student

[Anonymous User]

What if your firm is 8+ hours away and you have exams on either side of the invitation date, but not on the same day? Plane tickets are ~$300 and I'm a poor student

Well then I think you have a far easier decision. They couldn't possibly expect a student in the midst of finals (or frankly regardless) to fly out just for the holiday party. That would be ridiculous. You'd have a totally legit excuse not to go. This is a much tougher decision for those more within range.

[Old Gregg]

What if your firm is 8+ hours away and you have exams on either side of the invitation date, but not on the same day? Plane tickets are ~$300 and I'm a poor student

I think it's implied that the firm will pay your way to come out. At least it's something worth inquiring about.

[Anonymous User]

On a similar note, I was just invited to my firm's party just a couple of days in advance. Told them I'll be going despite the fact that I have an exam the same day (before the party). What exactly should I wear to this thing? Suit up like I did for the interviews? I've never been around the firm other than the one time I interviewed, so I don't know exactly what the expected attire is. I don't want to look like an over-dressed douche, but I don't want to go in under-dressed either. Help please?

[TXIPLitigator]

On a similar note, I was just invited to my firm's party just a couple of days in advance. Told them I'll be going despite the fact that I have an exam the same day (before the party). What exactly should I wear to this thing? Suit up like I did for the interviews? I've never been around the firm other than the one time I interviewed, so I don't know exactly what the expected attire is. I don't want to look like an over-dressed douche, but I don't want to go in under-dressed either. Help please?

Ask recruiting.

It might depend on the firm/type of party. Some firms in Texas (where I have my experience) have smaller office parties. Others have parties with hundreds of people (with clients/friends of firm/etc attending).

Also, do other firms not reimburse for travel? (or just book flight/hotel for the soon-to-be SA?)

[Anonymous User]

Now that I'm seeing this thread for the first time, part of me is a little anxious now that I turned my firm's party down.

3L, DC offer in hand, party is the 22nd, I live 6 hours away. No mention of travel reimbursement, so I just politely declined.

Should I really have tried to pull this off, or is this just typical TLS panty-bunching?

[Anonymous User]

.

[Anonymous User]

On a similar note, I was just invited to my firm's party just a couple of days in advance. Told them I'll be going despite the fact that I have an exam the same day (before the party). What exactly should I wear to this thing? Suit up like I did for the interviews? I've never been around the firm other than the one time I interviewed, so I don't know exactly what the expected attire is. I don't want to look like an over-dressed douche, but I don't want to go in under-dressed either. Help please?

Ask recruiting.

It might depend on the firm/type of party. Some firms in Texas (where I have my experience) have smaller office parties. Others have parties with hundreds of people (with clients/friends of firm/etc attending).

Also, do other firms not reimburse for travel? (or just book flight/hotel for the soon-to-be SA?)

It wouldn't be too helpful to ask recruiting because the recruiting folks are in a different office. This is one small office of a very large firm. I think that most people at the firm don't suit-up too often, but I'm inclined to wear the suit and just take off the jacket if it comes to that. Bad idea?

[mrowkat]

Hate to say this, but you should go. Firm "social events" are close to mandatory for SAs - if a partner is going to suffer an hours away from work and leisure on your behalf, you had darn well better be there. Or have a great excuse for not going (emergency room, grandma died, etc.).

Edit: wrong preposition

[chasgoose]

Hate to say this, but you should go. Firm "social events" are close to mandatory for SAs - if a partner is going to suffer an hours away from work and leisure on your behalf, you had darn well better be there. Or have a great excuse for not going (emergency room, grandma died, etc.).

Edit: wrong preposition

Firm holiday parties are not on behalf of SA's, they are for employees of the firm. Certainly no biglaw partner would suffer hours away from work/leisure for an SA that hasn't even started yet.

[mrowkat]

Hate to say this, but you should go. Firm "social events" are close to mandatory for SAs - if a partner is going to suffer an hours away from work and leisure on your behalf, you had darn well better be there. Or have a great excuse for not going (emergency room, grandma died, etc.).

Edit: wrong preposition

Firm holiday parties are not on behalf of SA's, they are for employees of the firm. Certainly no biglaw partner would suffer hours away from work/leisure for an SA that hasn't even started yet.

Fair enough. Just my personal experience, but missing out on social events (any social events) was a huge faux pas at my firm last summer. The advice I gave was what the senior associate told me the first week. You can do what you want, but I'm letting my no-offer paranoia drive me.

[romothesavior]

Hate to say this, but you should go. Firm "social events" are close to mandatory for SAs - if a partner is going to suffer an hours away from work and leisure on your behalf, you had darn well better be there. Or have a great excuse for not going (emergency room, grandma died, etc.).

Edit: wrong preposition

Firm holiday parties are not on behalf of SA's, they are for employees of the firm. Certainly no biglaw partner would suffer hours away from work/leisure for an SA that hasn't even started yet.

Possibly true for most, but not true for all. My firm actually had a separate, smaller holiday party for the SAs and attorneys.

[Anonymous User]

I, and the other future SA's at my firm (NLJ 250, secondary market), were invited the week of the holiday party. Wanted to go, but would have had to move up a self-scheduled final a day earlier than I had been planning to take it. They understood when I declined to continue studying for exams, I think/hope... basically if it directly or indirectly conflicts with exams, don't feel obligated to go, but you should probably go otherwise.

[Master Tofu]

Go if you can make it - it's always helpful to meet your future colleagues. Not a big deal if you can't. Office holiday parties are not as big of a deal as everyone makes them out to be. Nobody's making a list of who's not coming to blacklist them in the future.