Meeting w/ Lawyer at Office- Advice? Forum

[Anonymous User]

Hey everyone,

I apologize if this topic has been hammered into the ground over the last few years. I did a search and looked around and everything on this topic seemed to address more formal situations than this (OCI, callbacks, interviews, etc.)

I am a 1L, and a family friend put me in contact with a friend who works at a mid-law firm. He emailed me and offered to give me a tour of his office and then sit down for lunch/coffee. Any general advice on how to approach this meeting? This will be my first attempt at networking in the legal context.

Also, dress code for a situation like this? My first impression was business casual (slacks, shirt, nice shoes), but would a suit be more appropriate?

This is obviously more of an introduction and Q&A than interview, since it's very early in my 1L year.

Thanks a lot for any help; I appreciate it.

[Dr. Review]

If I were the attorney meeting you, I would expect you to dress like you give a shit, but I would laugh at you if you wore a suit. Otherwise, just expect to ask general questions about what he does, his practice, how he got into it, etc.

[Shaggier1]

If this was me, I would approach this as a person who is 1) eager to learn and 2) grateful that this attorney is taking time to talk with you. Don't go in there with the mindset that this could turn into a job. Just have thoughtful questions about the practice of law, and his practice in particular, and come across as a nice, normal person. That you are here seeking advice about it suggests to me that you are well on your way to doing that.

PS: I agree that slacks/shirt approach. Suit would suggest that you think it is an interview.

[Anonymous User]

I usually wore dark jeans and a work-ish shirt to these sorts of things. Attys in my city are basically never in suits, and often in jeans themselves. you don't want to be overdressing them. Khakis and polo or collared shirt would probably be good too but I have no desire to own khakis

Just ask him about what he does, and anything else you legitimately want to know. If he's answered your questions don't bullshit around, and just be friendly in general. Ask about the legal market in that city, etc...

[iamgeorgebush]

If this was me, I would approach this as a person who is 1) eager to learn and 2) grateful that this attorney is taking time to talk with you. Don't go in there with the mindset that this could turn into a job. Just have thoughtful questions about the practice of law, and his practice in particular, and come across as a nice, normal person. That you are here seeking advice about it suggests to me that you are well on your way to doing that.

PS: I agree that slacks/shirt approach. Suit would suggest that you think it is an interview.

agreed

[Anonymous User]

Thanks a lot everyone. These responses have been really helpful.

Based on all of your answers, I'm thinking even slacks/shirt may be overdressing. Would khakis/Oxford/boat shoes be inappropriate for an office setting?

[rinkrat19]

Thanks a lot everyone. These responses have been really helpful.

Based on all of your answers, I'm thinking even slacks/shirt may be overdressing. Would khakis/Oxford/boat shoes be inappropriate for an office setting?

Too casual. Especially boat shoes, good lord.
Slacks and sport coat or a suit.

I wore a suit to a similar meetings and lunch in Portland, where nobody wears suits except for court, and I felt like I was dressed appropriately, although biz-cas would have also been fine in retrospect. The next step down (to the female version of khakis and boat shoes) would have been too casual. Even if that's what they wear to the office, you want to err on the side of formality. It's a respect thing.

[Kikero]

There's never anything wrong with wearing a suit to any sort of interview or business meeting. You're not a high school student, you're an adult, wear a suit to the grocery store if you want. Nothing short of tails is going to be overdressed, so don't worry about it.

(Also, I'm not saying you have to wear a suit if you don't want to, but don't get neurotic and think that a suit or even business casual is overdressing, nobody is going to laugh at you.)

[iamgeorgebush]

please don't wear boat shoes. business casual at minimum, which means pressed pants, a dress shirt, and leather shoes. you could wear a sports coat or tie, but both might be overdoing it a little. suit could be credited if the firm has a business formal dress code, but otherwise, i would just go for biz casual.

the general rule of thumb for networking sorts of things like this, imo, is that you want to dress like the other people in the office are dressed.

[RCinDNA]

Be grateful for their time, ask for general advice about 1L (some of the best advice/tips I got was from senior counsel), and don't be afraid to just talk about interesting topics. Most attorneys don't want to talk about law all the time, so it works very well if you are able to make a personal connection, while conveying interest and excitement about the legal field.

Dark jeans, dress shirt, leather shoes (make sure they match your belt), watch and a nice jacket usually conveys the right mix of casual ease and polished professionalism, IMHO. http://www.gq.com/style/wear-it-now/201 ... le#slide=3 I'm comfortable in those types of clothes, though. You could ditch the jacket, and swap in a sweater, or just wear a button down shirt, khakis/dark jeans, dress shirt, and leather shoes (matching belt), if it would make you feel more eat ease.

I'm assuming you are a male based on your last response.

[rinkrat19]

Dark jeans... usually convey the right mix of casual ease and polished professionalism, IMHO.

Holy shit do not listen to this guy. Jeans are absolutely not acceptable.

[Dr. Review]

Holy shit do not listen to this guy. Jeans are absolutely not acceptable.

[El Pollito]

If he thinks that's serious he kind of deserves what he gets.

[romothesavior]

If this was me, I would approach this as a person who is 1) eager to learn and 2) grateful that this attorney is taking time to talk with you. Don't go in there with the mindset that this could turn into a job. Just have thoughtful questions about the practice of law, and his practice in particular, and come across as a nice, normal person. That you are here seeking advice about it suggests to me that you are well on your way to doing that.

PS: I agree that slacks/shirt approach. Suit would suggest that you think it is an interview.

agreed

[michael2015]

Boat shoes...jeans....just dress like an adult that's not going to a tailgate at Ole Miss.

[wildcatatpenn]

Dark jeans, dress shirt, leather shoes (make sure they match your belt), watch and a nice jacket usually conveys the right mix of casual ease and polished professionalism, IMHO. http://www.gq.com/style/wear-it-now/201 ... le#slide=3 I'm comfortable in those types of clothes, though. You could ditch the jacket, and swap in a sweater, or just wear a button down shirt, khakis/dark jeans, dress shirt, and leather shoes (matching belt), if it would make you feel more eat ease.

100% agree with this, other than not a fan of jackets for biz casual. Given that it's fall, a sweater over your dress shirt would be perfect imho. +solid dark jeans (no heavy whiskering), plain belt, and leather shoes (loafers etc) It's a great look though for these casual meetings over coffee or whatever.

Clearly there are differing opinions as above... I'm guessing they are in more formal markets than I am used to. Maybe in Atlanta or something people where suits more

Someone earlier the perfect advice about dressing to match the people in the office, or slightly under it. Over-dressing the person you're talking to makes you look like a try-hard and is very offputting. On the other hand boatshoes are never appropriate in an office setting in my experience, at least for men

[rinkrat19]

Dark jeans, dress shirt, leather shoes (make sure they match your belt), watch and a nice jacket usually conveys the right mix of casual ease and polished professionalism, IMHO. http://www.gq.com/style/wear-it-now/201 ... le#slide=3 I'm comfortable in those types of clothes, though. You could ditch the jacket, and swap in a sweater, or just wear a button down shirt, khakis/dark jeans, dress shirt, and leather shoes (matching belt), if it would make you feel more eat ease.

100% agree with this, other than not a fan of jackets for biz casual. Given that it's fall, a sweater over your dress shirt would be perfect imho. +solid dark jeans (no heavy whiskering), plain belt, and leather shoes (loafers etc) It's a great look though for these casual meetings over coffee or whatever.

Clearly there are differing opinions as above... I'm guessing they are in more formal markets than I am used to. Maybe in Atlanta or something people where suits more

Someone earlier the perfect advice about dressing to match the people in the office, or slightly under it. Over-dressing the person you're talking to makes you look like a try-hard and is very offputting. On the other hand boatshoes are never appropriate in an office setting in my experience, at least for men

lol, I've done these meeting type things in Portland, one of the least formal markets in the country. Jeans are not in the same hemisphere as appropriate. ALWAYS err on the side of too formal in the legal world.

[Anonymous User]

Honestly, business casual is probably fine, but a suit is safest. You never know if a person is more formal, and even less formal people will understand that you are trying to put your best foot forward.

Just have good questions and make it a conversation. You want to learn and make the guy/girl like you enough to want to talk to you more or help you get a job there (if that is the job you want). You should look on his firm bio and try to work in ways for him to talk about stuff that you would want to talk about.

[NotMyRealName09]

Yeah a suit is fine. Not sure why people are dogging on wearing a suit. It doesn't mean you're thinking its an interview, it just shows you're serious and respectful. In my opinion, between strangers meeting for the first time in any legal setting, a suit is never over-doing it. The suggestion that it would be a ding against you is ridiculous. Now MAYBE if there is some regional, unspoken rule at play where no one ever wears suits - well that different. But absent that, you can't go wrong with a suit. You could maybe pull off khaki's and a sport coat too, but go ahead and wear a suit and don't sweat it. No one cares, you're a law student, you're supposed to look like you're trying.

[Anonymous User]

Thanks guys....really appreciate the responses.

I'm going with business casual (pretty much suit without jacket/tie), although dressing like the ole miss tailgate does would bring back to my UG days.