Do you wear headphones at work? Is that weird? Forum

[poptart123]

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[JusticeJackson]

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[sublime]

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[KM2016]

a separate writing department

What's that?

Idk if this is what they mean, but at the firm I summered at there was an entire department that would go through a document and check for typos and shit for you.

My firm also has this, although it's called a word processing department. Essentially a bunch of grammar police that proofread/spellcheck/typo-check anything you want. When you have the time and don't need a quick turnaround on a document, it's actually a nice perk.

[Anonymous User]

a separate writing department

What's that?

Idk if this is what they mean, but at the firm I summered at there was an entire department that would go through a document and check for typos and shit for you.

My firm also has this, although it's called a word processing department. Essentially a bunch of grammar police that proofread/spellcheck/typo-check anything you want. When you have the time and don't need a quick turnaround on a document, it's actually a nice perk.

Well I'm a 0L with some connections to this firm and have only worked at this firm, but most of our law clerks have their degrees from a local TTTT or TTT and work in this department.

Since I'm newer and have no formal legal education I do a lot of drafting original petitions, notice letters, depo. summaries, easy motions, etc., but others in our department have specialties. For instance, an attorney on a docket will send the department an email saying something like "MSJ needed on XYZ issue, due XX/XX/XXXX" or "Motion to Compel XYZ needed this Friday." Then writing drafts it and sends it back to the docket.

The heads of the department are attorneys who are good writers and used to litigate but have since grown tired of the court room I guess. In our firm of about 50+ I think we have about 8-9 in this department focusing solely on writing.

[BigZuck]

In b4 someone yells at the anon 0L and really takes this thread to the next level

[sublime]

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[Anonymous User]

In b4 someone yells at the anon 0L and really takes this thread to the next level

Yeah, sorry didn't realize this form wasn't for 0L's I guess, but thought I had some specifics about at least one firm's writing department that could provide insight into previous poster's inquiry. Apologies!

[sublime]

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[Serett]

It's not really a crazy concept - you're at work for approximately 50 days instead of a year. If you're out with someone on a first date, and they burp, you're going to think more of it than if your spouse burps a year into your 3rd or 4th marriage (lawyers get divorced early and often, preferably you should have a separation or at least segue into an open relationship by your midsummer review).

Whoa, wait, what happens if someone overhears us burping in biglaw?

[TLSModBot]

It's not really a crazy concept - you're at work for approximately 50 days instead of a year. If you're out with someone on a first date, and they burp, you're going to think more of it than if your spouse burps a year into your 3rd or 4th marriage (lawyers get divorced early and often, preferably you should have a separation or at least segue into an open relationship by your midsummer review).

Whoa, wait, what happens if someone overhears us burping in biglaw?

Depends on firm culture and region, but just don't do it as an SA.

[Serett]

It's not really a crazy concept - you're at work for approximately 50 days instead of a year. If you're out with someone on a first date, and they burp, you're going to think more of it than if your spouse burps a year into your 3rd or 4th marriage (lawyers get divorced early and often, preferably you should have a separation or at least segue into an open relationship by your midsummer review).

Whoa, wait, what happens if someone overhears us burping in biglaw?

Depends on firm culture and region, but just don't do it as an SA.

I asked around to some juniors, and consensus was that burping is a power move reserved for (senior) partners over lunch and at OCI.

[Glasseyes]

It's not really a crazy concept - you're at work for approximately 50 days instead of a year. If you're out with someone on a first date, and they burp, you're going to think more of it than if your spouse burps a year into your 3rd or 4th marriage (lawyers get divorced early and often, preferably you should have a separation or at least segue into an open relationship by your midsummer review).

Whoa, wait, what happens if someone overhears us burping in biglaw?

Depends on firm culture and region, but just don't do it as an SA.

I asked around to some juniors, and consensus was that burping is a power move reserved for (senior) partners over lunch and at OCI.

In some asian countries burping is considered a compliment to the chef, so we should act accordingly based on the ethnicity of the partner, right?

[TLSModBot]

It's not really a crazy concept - you're at work for approximately 50 days instead of a year. If you're out with someone on a first date, and they burp, you're going to think more of it than if your spouse burps a year into your 3rd or 4th marriage (lawyers get divorced early and often, preferably you should have a separation or at least segue into an open relationship by your midsummer review).

Whoa, wait, what happens if someone overhears us burping in biglaw?

Depends on firm culture and region, but just don't do it as an SA.

I asked around to some juniors, and consensus was that burping is a power move reserved for (senior) partners over lunch and at OCI.

In some asian countries burping is considered a compliment to the chef, so we should act accordingly based on the ethnicity of the partner, right?

Yes definitely. If you see an Asian partner, definitely seek clarity by asking if they're the type of Asian who considers burping polite in their culture.

They'll appreciate the thoughtfulness.

[Desert Fox]

Don't do it as a summer, not because listening to music at work is bad, but because as a summer you are supposed to be easy to talk to. Same goes for keeping your door open. You want associates and partners to want to say hello to you.

By the time you are a real associate, nobody wants to talk to you so you can close ur door and blast ur music.

[SLS_AMG]

lol @ this "profession"

This is just a dumb comment that goes to show how insufferable lawyers are. Virtually any profession that TLS posters idolize on a daily basis would also frown at wearing headphones at work.

No. They don't. They treat you like adults. Stop apologizing for shitty work culture.

Really? So a neurosurgeon would be free to just wear headphones in the operating room when surrounded by other medical personnel? Wouldn't affect communication at all? Wonder how you'll feel about that "work culture" if you're ever in his/her operating table.

[Cogburn87]

Really? So a neurosurgeon would be free to just wear headphones in the operating room when surrounded by other medical personnel? Wouldn't affect communication at all? Wonder how you'll feel about that "work culture" if you're ever in his/her operating table.

Neurosurgeon is definitley the relevant comparison here. You seem very intelligent.

[Lacepiece23]

Don't do it as a summer, not because listening to music at work is bad, but because as a summer you are supposed to be easy to talk to. Same goes for keeping your door open. You want associates and partners to want to say hello to you.

By the time you are a real associate, nobody wants to talk to you so you can close ur door and blast ur music.

So much this.

[WhiteCollarBlueShirt]

Really? So a neurosurgeon would be free to just wear headphones in the operating room when surrounded by other medical personnel? Wouldn't affect communication at all? Wonder how you'll feel about that "work culture" if you're ever in his/her operating table.

Neurosurgeon is definitley the relevant comparison here. You seem very intelligent.

Actually, lots of surgeons listen to music (no headphones needed obviously) while operating.

And dude c'mon, law you're by yourself in an office all day. Unlike most professions, no one cares what you're doing as long as you do your job, but people do care if your music is drifting into their office (hence the headphones). I think we can all agree there's a cultural divide office-to-office on music/headphones/netflix/cnbc/whatevs, but let's not get snobby about acting like "professionals." We're glorified (or not so glorified) cube monkeys like most white collar office workers.

And what people say about summers being social, yeah you should prob drop the headphones and crank up those speakers--SA's are just as much for associate socialization as anything else.

[Anonymous User]

Really? So a neurosurgeon would be free to just wear headphones in the operating room when surrounded by other medical personnel? Wouldn't affect communication at all? Wonder how you'll feel about that "work culture" if you're ever in his/her operating table.

Neurosurgeon is definitley the relevant comparison here. You seem very intelligent.

Some Surgeons actually blast rap/loud music during their final stitching. Mostly to stay awake and focused. My aunt is a nurse and is always bitching about having to listen to "straight outta Compton" with one particular dude.

Tl;dr

Nate dogg and warren g have to regulate

[Anonymous User]

FWIW, I used to totally be in the camp of letting folks wear headphones (I don't wear, but why be fascist?). Then over a couple of years I noticed that all my juniors who did the most typo-ridden work wore headphones. Now I expressly ask folks not to wear if I notice it. I don't think that most people can really be super focused to the sick degree needed for big law transactional work while wearing headphones. Some folks clearly can handle it, but I don't want to wade through the shit of fixing the 3 out of 4 who can't.

But if doing diligence or doc review, screw it, blast away.

[Anonymous User]

FWIW, I used to totally be in the camp of letting folks wear headphones (I don't wear, but why be fascist?). Then over a couple of years I noticed that all my juniors who did the most typo-ridden work wore headphones. Now I expressly ask folks not to wear if I notice it. I don't think that most people can really be super focused to the sick degree needed for big law transactional work while wearing headphones. Some folks clearly can handle it, but I don't want to wade through the shit of fixing the 3 out of 4 who can't.

But if doing diligence or doc review, screw it, blast away.

This is a point I was going to make -- no one at my firm generally would care (or know) if I was wearing headphones while working. But I really wouldn't want the partner or senior associate to see me wearing headphones while working on a project for them if what I handed in later had typos in it.

[WhiteCollarBlueShirt]

This is a point I was going to make -- no one at my firm generally would care (or know) if I was wearing headphones while working. But I really wouldn't want the partner or senior associate to see me wearing headphones while working on a project for them if what I handed in later had typos in it.

In many ways, I actually envy your commitment to the career.

Unless driven by fear. In which case, I am too secure to know such fear.

[Anonymous User]

This is a point I was going to make -- no one at my firm generally would care (or know) if I was wearing headphones while working. But I really wouldn't want the partner or senior associate to see me wearing headphones while working on a project for them if what I handed in later had typos in it.

In many ways, I actually envy your commitment to the career.

Unless driven by fear. In which case, I am too secure to know such fear.

Meh, it depends on the type of assignment. I'm not really talking about internal memos. I'm very junior but am in a smaller group so for some external docs I send final drafts to clients after one partner review. The partner isn't looking for typos; if I had an error in my comments it will likely stay in the draft that I send to the client. I would prefer to avoid that if possible.

[Frm312]

Really? So a neurosurgeon would be free to just wear headphones in the operating room when surrounded by other medical personnel? Wouldn't affect communication at all? Wonder how you'll feel about that "work culture" if you're ever in his/her operating table.

Neurosurgeon is definitley the relevant comparison here. You seem very intelligent.

Some Surgeons actually blast rap/loud music during their final stitching. Mostly to stay awake and focused. My aunt is a nurse and is always bitching about having to listen to "straight outta Compton" with one particular dude.

Tl;dr

Nate dogg and warren g have to regulate

LOL im flattered by the comparison. Neurosurgeon is was more preftigious