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Beards and the Law
Posted: Fri Jan 21, 2011 12:59 pm
by nigelfrost
So, I'm lined up with a summer associate position at an AM 100 firm in DC. I worked there this past summer (my 1L summer) as an unpaid intern and got a general feel for firm culture. Thus, I kinda think I already know the answer to this, but I'd like some outside opinions, especially if people have had similar experiences.
I've been growing a beard since November and have become attached to the mongoose on my face. But I also know that firms prize a conservative appearance. Should I plan on shaving this beast in a few months? Or should I show up the first day with it and risk someone saying something? Should I not worry about it? Should I stop posting random questions on TLS and keep working on my note like I should be doing?
Does anyone have experience with this?
Re: Beards and the Law
Posted: Fri Jan 21, 2011 1:04 pm
by Shooter
Your beard sounds awesome (it looks like a mongoose?)!!! Don't shave it.
Re: Beards and the Law
Posted: Fri Jan 21, 2011 1:04 pm
by Sup Kid
nigelfrost wrote:Should I stop posting random questions on TLS and keep working on my note like I should be doing?
Re: Beards and the Law
Posted: Fri Jan 21, 2011 1:07 pm
by nigelfrost
Shooter wrote:Your beard sounds awesome (it looks like a mongoose?)!!! Don't shave it.
It could kill a cobra.
Sup Kid wrote:nigelfrost wrote:Should I stop posting random questions on TLS and keep working on my note like I should be doing?
*sigh* But I don't want to anymore! I'm tired of writing it......*whine whine*
Re: Beards and the Law
Posted: Fri Jan 21, 2011 1:15 pm
by jdstl
I tend to think our generation (Gen Y, I guess) is much more beard friendly than previous generations. That said, Baby Boomers still run law firms.
Re: Beards and the Law
Posted: Fri Jan 21, 2011 1:15 pm
by jdstl
I tend to think our generation (Gen Y, I guess) is much more beard friendly than previous generations. That said, Baby Boomers still run law firms.
Re: Beards and the Law
Posted: Fri Jan 21, 2011 1:18 pm
by megaTTTron
nigelfrost wrote:So, I'm lined up with a summer associate position at an AM 100 firm in DC. I worked there this past summer (my 1L summer) as an unpaid intern and got a general feel for firm culture. Thus, I kinda think I already know the answer to this, but I'd like some outside opinions, especially if people have had similar experiences.
I've been growing a beard since November and have become attached to the mongoose on my face. But I also know that firms prize a conservative appearance. Should I plan on shaving this beast in a few months? Or should I show up the first day with it and risk someone saying something? Should I not worry about it? Should I stop posting random questions on TLS and keep working on my note like I should be doing?
Does anyone have experience with this?
pictures or it didn't happen.
Re: Beards and the Law
Posted: Fri Jan 21, 2011 1:19 pm
by prezidentv8
Thread Title wrote:Beards and the Law
Oh I thought this was just some awesome class you were taking...
Re: Beards and the Law
Posted: Fri Jan 21, 2011 1:20 pm
by krad
POST PICS! <3 beards! You'll probably have to trim it up fancy or get rid of it completely, though. I agree with the poster above me on the generational thing, for sure. SO has to shave the beard for appearance's sake and he's in surgery 95% of the time

Re: Beards and the Law
Posted: Fri Jan 21, 2011 1:20 pm
by LSATWIZ
There is a story in Jewish tradition about a young man in Talmudic times who was appointed chief rabbi. Although he was in his 20s, he could not shave yet and this was an era where age was considered something to be respected. He was supposed to address the other great Rabbis at the end of the week, and was greatly scared of whether they'd respect him because of his inability to even grow a beard, which signified his lack of experience.
He prayed, and prayed, and sure enough, by the end of the week he grew a very long beard.
The point of this is that beards, if well kept, command respect and sometimes hint wisdom. The catch is you don't want to look like a stoner.
Re: Beards and the Law
Posted: Fri Jan 21, 2011 1:24 pm
by reasonable_man
1) Shave it
2) Perform well at SA
3) get offered Associate position
4) Perform well for 3 years
5) Grow beard - because its distinguished
6) Get voted into partnership
7) Profit
thread/
Re: Beards and the Law
Posted: Fri Jan 21, 2011 1:27 pm
by nigelfrost
prezidentv8 wrote:Thread Title wrote:Beards and the Law
Oh I thought this was just some awesome class you were taking...
Can you imagine? Looking at the 3L seminars offered these days, I don't doubt there is SOME school out there that has this for a topic.
So, no pics . . . for the obvious anonymity reasons. It's tough to get a pic of a beard without a face. But I like this:
LSATWIZ wrote: The point of this is that beards, if well kept, command respect and sometimes hint wisdom. The catch is you don't want to look like a stoner.
Maybe I'll set some kind of precedent. Pretty soon, there will be bearded lawyers everywhere in DC!
Re: Beards and the Law
Posted: Fri Jan 21, 2011 1:32 pm
by krad
reasonable_man wrote:1) Shave it
2) Perform well at SA
3) get offered Associate position
4) Perform well for 3 years
5) Grow beard - because its distinguished
6) Get voted into partnership
7) Profit
thread/
<3
Re: Beards and the Law
Posted: Fri Jan 21, 2011 1:33 pm
by Bluben
I shaved my beard last night.
Im working (as an engineer) in an engineering firm with a very old school mentality and its understood around here that if you want to get your name out there and have senior management know who you are, you cannot have a beard. Again it is a generational thing, but good luck changing a whole generation's mentality on something like that.
Re: Beards and the Law
Posted: Fri Jan 21, 2011 1:53 pm
by clintonius
prezidentv8 wrote:Thread Title wrote:Beards and the Law
Oh I thought this was just some awesome class you were taking...
It would be based around Learned Hand. His eyebrows count as a beard (LinkRemoved).