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First day of SA at small firm - do I wear a suit or slacks and a button down (no one was wearing a suit the two times I went to interview). Also, I was clean shaven both times I went to interview but have since then grown a small beard, guessing I should shave this and not keep any facial hair till I've been there a couple weeks?

Suit first day and whatever anyone else is wearing after. I would shave for the first day and then let it grow out from there.

dress like everyone else there dresses

You've combined two TLS standards- Suit up first day? and Shave or no shave? These things are covered just about every other week on TLS but I've never seen them in the same thread before!

The correct answer is suit and shave. But this is TLS, so we'll probably argue about this for 3 pages or so.

You could show up biz casual and scruffy and you'd be fine. But you would feel uncomfortable and stand out a little so I wouldn't recommend it.

NoLongerALurker wrote:You could show up biz casual and scruffy and you'd be fine. But you would feel uncomfortable and stand out a little so I wouldn't recommend it.

in the last 2 markets I've worked in you would stand out and be joked about if you wore a suit. there's always that 1 intern that does

I work at a firm and I'm here to tell you: nobody gives a fuck. If it were me, I would keep the beard. I have one, as do many of my peers.

The worst thing you can do is shave first day then let it grow out. Because then you'll be going to work during the in-between phase of having a 5 o'clock shadow turn into a beard. Just keep your shit well groomed and you'll be fine.

I don't know why these questions come up so often. It seems pretty obvious: overdress/play the part the first day, take the temperature of your particular firm, adjust accordingly. No two firms are entirely alike, and they will have different dress/cultural norm requirements. No one will chastise you for dressing conservatively on the first day, only to find business casual will suffice for work days outside client-focused interactions.

And if you have a clean-cut beard, keep it that way and no one will flinch. If you're going straight Duck Dynasty, that could be a different story. But still, just let your hopefully good judgment guide you.

Suit, no tie + Allen Edmonds.

Anonymous User wrote:First day of SA at small firm - do I wear a suit or slacks and a button down (no one was wearing a suit the two times I went to interview). Also, I was clean shaven both times I went to interview but have since then grown a small beard, guessing I should shave this and not keep any facial hair till I've been there a couple weeks?

I'd hedge on suit first day and no beard (permanent). SA at small firm/office here too. All it takes is one partner to not like the beard etc.. and be passive aggressive holding it against you or w/e.

Blackfish wrote:Suit, no tie + Allen Edmonds.

and here I thought TLS was over its weird obsession with Allen Edmond

JFC, no one gives a shit about a beard so long as you look like a normal human being. Look in the mirror and ask yourself "if I were to be dropped in front of a client looking like this, would my firm be embarrassed?"

If the answer is no, then head on out. If the answer is yes, change / groom better. If you don't know the answer, then you're screwed no matter what.

Midlevel biglaw associate in LA here. With a beard from day 2 (day 1--my interview--my face was as smooth as a baby's bottom).

What city are you summering in?

No one in CA will care. Based on my experience with co-counsel and opposing counsel, they might care slightly more in DC or Texas.

Just get it trimmed so that it's clean and even on your first day. Doesn't have to be super tight. My barber uses a 6 for me and I get it trimmed once every three weeks (so by the third week I'm a bit scruffy).

Wear a suit and tie your first day. You will likely to told that you can take your tie off and that you don't need to wear a suit the rest of the time.

You might also get an email prior to your first day asking that you just dress business casual.

As long as you're not naked and don't smell nobody will care/notice.

Don't bring your backpack.

OP here, in Texas. Should I take anything? I've got a cheap bag for my laptop, is this acceptable?

Anonymous User wrote:OP here, in Texas. Should I take anything? I've got a cheap bag for my laptop, is this acceptable?

Messenger style bags are fine. Just no backpacks. Don't bring your laptop...

Blackfish wrote:

Anonymous User wrote:OP here, in Texas. Should I take anything? I've got a cheap bag for my laptop, is this acceptable?

Messenger style bags are fine. Just no backpacks. Don't bring your laptop...

I'm in Texas. The above is wrong and I intend to argue about it now. Backpacks are fine.

We've almost hit one page, thread is developing nicely.

BigZuck wrote:

Blackfish wrote:

Anonymous User wrote:OP here, in Texas. Should I take anything? I've got a cheap bag for my laptop, is this acceptable?

Messenger style bags are fine. Just no backpacks. Don't bring your laptop...

I'm in Texas. The above is wrong and I intend to argue about it now. Backpacks are fine.

We've almost hit one page, thread is developing nicely.

I'm going to continue to make the point that people should be buying Aldens and not AEs

Beard is fine. I interviewed without one and showed up with a nice full beard as an SA and first year with no issue. Unless literally no one at your firm has facial hair, keep it.

Blackfish wrote:

Anonymous User wrote:OP here, in Texas. Should I take anything? I've got a cheap bag for my laptop, is this acceptable?

Messenger style bags are fine. Just no backpacks. Don't bring your laptop...

That's a new one. Are backpacks not cool anymore?

Also tons of associates at my firm carry backpacks. And we are about as old and stodgy as it gets.

arklaw13 wrote:Also tons of associates at my firm carry backpacks. And we are about as old and stodgy as it gets.

A lot of college freshman wear their IDs on lanyards. Doesn't make it okay.

Backpacks are chill. Only extreme weirdos have an aversion to them.

Speaking of backpacks and messenger bags, is it fine to just bring a padfolio--and no bag--to your first day of SA? As long as I bring a pen and something to write on is that enough or will it look weird if I bring no type of bag at all?