End of SA at Big law - how to thank? Forum

[EistMoran]

I've had a great experience at my 1L SA and want to say thank you to the many attorneys (partners and associates) that have taken the time to work with me and/or help me. Is it appropriate to send handwritten cards after leaving or to place on the desk? Emails seem impersonal but maybe are most appropriate? For other jobs I've brought in baked goods or something on the last day - but in biglaw environment that seems inappropriate. Ideas?

[Bronte]

I walked into the offices of the various lawyers I worked with, shook their hands, and said thanks.

[YankeesFan]

If Biglaw attorneys would really find baked goods to be inappropriate/look down on you for making delicious treats then they are all monsters.

[Anonymous User]

I was wondering myself. My last day corresponds to the last day of my mentor, who will be both going on maternity leave and switching geographic locations. So I'm getting her a little gift for her baby as a thanks and best wishes.

[Anonymous User]

Buying maternity presents seems inappropriate

[Georgia Avenue]

I was wondering myself. My last day corresponds to the last day of my mentor, who will be both going on maternity leave and switching geographic locations. So I'm getting her a little gift for her baby as a thanks and best wishes.

this seems really weird

OP, bronte is right, just go in, shake hands, say something pleasant about working with them, leave it short and sweet.

[Mount Elbrus]

Don't overthink it. Do whatever you want - within reason. Not sure why baked goods are inappropriate for Big Law - I have seen them several times in various offices.

[bld2414]

I gave my mentor a big bottle o rum. He liked it.

[NYstate]

I've had a great experience at my 1L SA and want to say thank you to the many attorneys (partners and associates) that have taken the time to work with me and/or help me. Is it appropriate to send handwritten cards after leaving or to place on the desk? Emails seem impersonal but maybe are most appropriate? For other jobs I've brought in baked goods or something on the last day - but in biglaw environment that seems inappropriate. Ideas?

Am I the only one who sees this as unprofessional? I don't understand this urge to effusively thank people who were just doing their job. But this may be my own pet peeve.

I would go into everyone's office to tell them goodbye, shake hands and tell them what a wonderful summer you had, how much you learned, and say it was great to work with them.

If you plan to stay in touch, mention that as well but don't do that with every single person. Pick the people you can rely on for references in the future and any friends you made.

A gift for a mentor might be great I guess, depends on your relationship.

[A. Nony Mouse]

I don't think maternity gifts are necessarily inappropriate - it sounds like the person who posted that has discussed his/her mentor's upcoming maternity leave, it's not like it's a secret. Lots of workplaces do baby showers. Also, something particular for a mentor is a little different from just thanking people you worked for.

I agree that it's not necessary to do cards/baked goods for everyone, though. (And the maternity gift isn't necessary either, I'm just saying it's not automatically weird.)

[Sup Kid]

[Anonymous User]

we bought a giant cheesecake and invited all the partners and associates we worked with for a small office party

[Tom Joad]

I've had a great experience at my 1L SA and want to say thank you to the many attorneys (partners and associates) that have taken the time to work with me and/or help me. Is it appropriate to send handwritten cards after leaving or to place on the desk? Emails seem impersonal but maybe are most appropriate? For other jobs I've brought in baked goods or something on the last day - but in biglaw environment that seems inappropriate. Ideas?

Am I the only one who sees this as unprofessional? I don't understand this urge to effusively thank people who were just doing their job. But this may be my own pet peeve.

I would go into everyone's office to tell them goodbye, shake hands and tell them what a wonderful summer you had, how much you learned, and say it was great to work with them.

If you plan to stay in touch, mention that as well but don't do that with every single person. Pick the people you can rely on for references in the future and any friends you made.

A gift for a mentor might be great I guess, depends on your relationship.

It isn't necessarily within their job to be a great mentor though. I made sure to thank and hug the attorneys that really made it a point to help me improve.

[traehekat]

I walked into the offices of the various lawyers I worked with, shook their hands, and said thanks.

This. Although I could see MAYBE getting a little something for your mentor if he or she really was a great mentor and frequently took time out of their day to help you out with things.

If you had a secretary you should probably get them something, though. $50 gift card would be appropriate.

[Anonymous User]

I don't think maternity gifts are necessarily inappropriate - it sounds like the person who posted that has discussed his/her mentor's upcoming maternity leave, it's not like it's a secret. Lots of workplaces do baby showers. Also, something particular for a mentor is a little different from just thanking people you worked for.

I agree that it's not necessary to do cards/baked goods for everyone, though. (And the maternity gift isn't necessary either, I'm just saying it's not automatically weird.)

It's weird. The attorney has been pregnant for 3x as long as she has known this person. It is transparent, insincere and a tad bit immature.

[Anonymous User]

Just posting this for the fun of it and to give you guys some laughs, but here's my best.

When I left my job as a paralegal at a law firm before I left for law school, I recorded a self-written song detailing my journey through the firm, naming various bosses and coworkers and events that happened during my tenure. Then I sent it to everybody I was close with, plus like twenty people I didn't know that well but sort of knew. Definitely a weird move and not recommended, but they certainly remember me! haha

[eerie_erie]

Ask the junior associates what they think is best (esp. ones who were SAs).

[A. Nony Mouse]

I don't think maternity gifts are necessarily inappropriate - it sounds like the person who posted that has discussed his/her mentor's upcoming maternity leave, it's not like it's a secret. Lots of workplaces do baby showers. Also, something particular for a mentor is a little different from just thanking people you worked for.

I agree that it's not necessary to do cards/baked goods for everyone, though. (And the maternity gift isn't necessary either, I'm just saying it's not automatically weird.)

It's weird. The attorney has been pregnant for 3x as long as she has known this person. It is transparent, insincere and a tad bit immature.

I think that's a little unkind - length of time knowing the person doesn't have to make it transparent/insincere, and have you ever worked with people who are pregnant? like I said, baby showers and so on are extremely common. I'm not saying buy a sterling silver engraved rattle, but you can buy a pair of booties at Whole Foods for very little cost, as a gesture.

However, to the person who originally posted about this, clearly there are diverging opinions about whether this is weird, so make of that what you will.

[Anonymous User]

I'm the OP on the maternity gift. I really don't understand how people think it's weird. If it clarifies, I was just going to buy a little sweater or something for the baby, and I'm also a woman. Her last day is a couple of days before mine. Given that we may be working in the same practice group and having a long-standing relationship in the future working across offices, I thought it would be a nice gesture to thank the person. My firm is known for having a really nice culture, and I felt like our relationship is such that it doesn't seem weird to me.

[bk1]

I think it's weird because an SA is essentially an extended job interview. Why are you thanking people with gifts for recruiting you, evaluating you, and doing their job (working with you)?

[aces]

I think it's weird because an SA is essentially an extended job interview. Why are you thanking people with gifts for recruiting you, evaluating you, and doing their job (working with you)?

Well, not all attorneys are chomping at the bit to work with SAs. For the full-time associates/partners, it often take more of their time to answer questions and review/correct an SA's work product than it would for them just to do the assignment themselves. Moreover, they've been taking you out to lunch and to social events all summer, and presumably providing at least a little mentoring/advice. Why wouldn't a minor gift be appropriate? I certainly don't think you're required to do so, and at most you should only extend gifts to the one or two people who helped you the most, but I don't think it's weird at all. It's common courtesy.

[A. Nony Mouse]

I don't think it's at all necessary, and tbh I suspect it's women who are more likely to do it than men. But if someone really wants to do it, I don't think a small token - like a card - is necessarily weird. Like with everything, it probably depends on how you do it.

Though I do think a good general rule of thumb is to give gifts to subordinates, not superiors.