Davis Polk Wachtell LLP Associate Tracking Forum

[Tenzen]

Tell me about their tracking system (referenced, but not identified ITT), please (link to an article).

Tried googling, but best article I could found is not about DPW: https://abovethelaw.com/2015/12/is-your ... ng-on-you/.

Is DPW spying based purely on rumor?

[+] Spoiler

I know it's not Davis Polk Wachtell. But the gunners ready to correct me will hopefully be just as eager to answer question.

[OneTwoThreeFour]

Tell me about their tracking system (referenced, but not identified ITT), please (link to an article).

Tried googling, but best article I could found is not about DPW: https://abovethelaw.com/2015/12/is-your ... ng-on-you/.

Is DPW spying based purely on rumor?

[+] Spoiler

I know it's not Davis Polk Wachtell. But the gunners ready to correct me will hopefully be just as eager to answer question.

There was a thread a while back (can't find it right now) where 3-4 DPW associates chimed in, talking about how someone on the secretarial staff would walk the hallways and mark down who was in the office and who wasn't. The reason given for this "attendance taking" behavior was to staff the secretarial staff properly (so if no one was in the office, then each secretary could be assigned to less people? seems weird if you ask me).

Again, not sure where that thread went, but several older accounts verified it so who knows. I have one friend at DPW that I asked about it and he told me that he's seen a secretary walk around in the morning checking in on offices, but he wasn't sure what the purpose of it was. So it's not "confirmed" policy or anything. But there seems to be indications that DPW is at least keeping a close eye on those working from home. Someone with firsthand knowledge should chime in and correct this if it's wrong though.

[Man from Nantucket]

Tell me about their tracking system (referenced, but not identified ITT), please (link to an article).

Tried googling, but best article I could found is not about DPW: https://abovethelaw.com/2015/12/is-your ... ng-on-you/.

Is DPW spying based purely on rumor?

[+] Spoiler

I know it's not Davis Polk Wachtell. But the gunners ready to correct me will hopefully be just as eager to answer question.

Tracking via ankle monitors, mostly.

[ghostoftraynor]

Nowadays they mostly just track their precipitous drop in prestige.

[Anonymous User]

Y'all scared me with this whole DPW tracking system--going in I thought i'd never be able to work remote or come and go as I please. That's not the case (work permitting of course). In reality, a secretary comes around at like 10:30-11 and if you haven't updated your 411 (firms internal contact book essentially) with in the office, expected in the office, working remotely or anything else you'd like then they will email you and be like let us know if you want us to updated your 411 for you.

[Anonymous User]

Y'all scared me with this whole DPW tracking system--going in I thought i'd never be able to work remote or come and go as I please. That's not the case (work permitting of course). In reality, a secretary comes around at like 10:30-11 and if you haven't updated your 411 (firms internal contact book essentially) with in the office, expected in the office, working remotely or anything else you'd like then they will email you and be like let us know if you want us to updated your 411 for you.

Current DPW Associate and can verify the above. I don't know how this got so overblown, but there definitely is no tracking system. Certain groups do care more about facetime (e.g. Cap Markets, M&A), but other groups (e.g. Finance) don't care where you are as long as you get your work done.

[cavalier1138]

Y'all scared me with this whole DPW tracking system--going in I thought i'd never be able to work remote or come and go as I please. That's not the case (work permitting of course). In reality, a secretary comes around at like 10:30-11 and if you haven't updated your 411 (firms internal contact book essentially) with in the office, expected in the office, working remotely or anything else you'd like then they will email you and be like let us know if you want us to updated your 411 for you.

Current DPW Associate and can verify the above. I don't know how this got so overblown, but there definitely is no tracking system. Certain groups do care more about facetime (e.g. Cap Markets, M&A), but other groups (e.g. Finance) don't care where you are as long as you get your work done.

But if there were a tracking system, I bet it would extend to monitoring forum posts about the tracking system...

If you rearrange the letters in Davis Polk Wardwell, then remove a bunch of letters and add a few new ones, it spells "Illuminati." COINCIDENCE?

[Elston Gunn]

Davis Polk Wachtell

[cavalier1138]

Davis Polk Wachtell

I don't know how I missed that the first time.

[Mullens]

Y'all scared me with this whole DPW tracking system--going in I thought i'd never be able to work remote or come and go as I please. That's not the case (work permitting of course). In reality, a secretary comes around at like 10:30-11 and if you haven't updated your 411 (firms internal contact book essentially) with in the office, expected in the office, working remotely or anything else you'd like then they will email you and be like let us know if you want us to updated your 411 for you.

Current DPW Associate and can verify the above. I don't know how this got so overblown, but there definitely is no tracking system. Certain groups do care more about facetime (e.g. Cap Markets, M&A), but other groups (e.g. Finance) don't care where you are as long as you get your work done.

So there’s no tracking system, but you have to update an internal page daily (or someone asks you where you are so they can update) letting the partners know if you’re in the office or working remotely? Kinda sounds like a tracking system to me. Also seems like people are far less likely to work remotely often if they have to tell everyone where they are everyday, whether subconscious or not.

[papermateflair]

This wasn't at DPW, but my former firm had one of the assistants assigned to each area of the office to report who was in the office and who wasn't - it was basically a security thing in case we had to evacuate the building or something (so they would know who was there, and who wasn't). It wouldn't surprise me if that's what is happening here.

[10b5-1]

Y'all scared me with this whole DPW tracking system--going in I thought i'd never be able to work remote or come and go as I please. That's not the case (work permitting of course). In reality, a secretary comes around at like 10:30-11 and if you haven't updated your 411 (firms internal contact book essentially) with in the office, expected in the office, working remotely or anything else you'd like then they will email you and be like let us know if you want us to updated your 411 for you.

Current DPW Associate and can verify the above. I don't know how this got so overblown, but there definitely is no tracking system. Certain groups do care more about facetime (e.g. Cap Markets, M&A), but other groups (e.g. Finance) don't care where you are as long as you get your work done.

So there’s no tracking system, but you have to update an internal page daily (or someone asks you where you are so they can update) letting the partners know if you’re in the office or working remotely? Kinda sounds like a tracking system to me. Also seems like people are far less likely to work remotely often if they have to tell everyone where they are everyday, whether subconscious or not.

Yeah, you just described a tracking system that (to my knowledge) no other firm has, and then described it as "overblown" and "definitely not a
tracking system".

If this was a necessary security requirement, wouldn't all large firms do this? None I've ever worked at has. The building knows who is in the office in the event of an emergency because you swipe in and out through gates.

[Anonymous User]

411 is basically the firm's directory. There like a "current status pull down tab" that can be updated. It was actually kind of helpful to know where the fuck people where sometimes. Like if you needed to contact associate x in california you would know if they were on vacation without having to email them first. . . . I also don't recall anyone ever getting in trouble for not updating 411

It was more like if you need to get a hold of someone you know where they are. Are they in the office, on vacation, working from home. It is not like HR combs through 411 to check your status and then calls you and is like what you are doing. I thought it was helpful.

[Anonymous User]

411 is basically the firm's directory. There like a "current status pull down tab" that can be updated. It was actually kind of helpful to know where the fuck people where sometimes. Like if you needed to contact associate x in california you would know if they were on vacation without having to email them first. . . . I also don't recall anyone ever getting in trouble for not updating 411

It was more like if you need to get a hold of someone you know where they are. Are they in the office, on vacation, working from home. It is not like HR combs through 411 to check your status and then calls you and is like what you are doing. I thought it was helpful.

Whether a system is in fact used in the way it has the capacity to be used is irrelevant to the question what it is. This is a tracking system, no matter how you slice it. Based on personal experience, not a fan of DPW's polite-to-your-face-but-pretty-aggressive handle on associates once they commit post-summer.

[rahulg91]

411 is basically the firm's directory. There like a "current status pull down tab" that can be updated. It was actually kind of helpful to know where the fuck people where sometimes. Like if you needed to contact associate x in california you would know if they were on vacation without having to email them first. . . . I also don't recall anyone ever getting in trouble for not updating 411

It was more like if you need to get a hold of someone you know where they are. Are they in the office, on vacation, working from home. It is not like HR combs through 411 to check your status and then calls you and is like what you are doing. I thought it was helpful.

Listen, no need to get all defensive. Thanks for confirming that DPW tracks associates. Most other firms do not do this FWIW. If you want to know where someone is at my firm, you can always just ask them via email/phone/Skype/carrier pigeon.

[rahulg91]

411 is basically the firm's directory. There like a "current status pull down tab" that can be updated. It was actually kind of helpful to know where the fuck people where sometimes. Like if you needed to contact associate x in california you would know if they were on vacation without having to email them first. . . . I also don't recall anyone ever getting in trouble for not updating 411

It was more like if you need to get a hold of someone you know where they are. Are they in the office, on vacation, working from home. It is not like HR combs through 411 to check your status and then calls you and is like what you are doing. I thought it was helpful.

Also, if you really, honestly believe that partnership isn’t looking at those records (maybe just purely for gossip purposes) you’re giving them a lot of (undeserved) credit.

[oblig.lawl.ref]

Lol this totally describes a tracking system.

[barkschool]

Where can I apply to Davis Polk Wachtell?

[cavalier1138]

Where can I apply to Davis Polk Wachtell?

You don't apply. The firm monitors all law students and extends offers of employment based on the gathered data. Then it immediately chains the lucky new associate to their desk, where they will work, eat, and sleep for the rest of their days. Enjoy the great bonus and benefits package! You live here now.

[yodamiked]

411 is basically the firm's directory. There like a "current status pull down tab" that can be updated. It was actually kind of helpful to know where the fuck people where sometimes. Like if you needed to contact associate x in california you would know if they were on vacation without having to email them first. . . . I also don't recall anyone ever getting in trouble for not updating 411

It was more like if you need to get a hold of someone you know where they are. Are they in the office, on vacation, working from home. It is not like HR combs through 411 to check your status and then calls you and is like what you are doing. I thought it was helpful.

Listen, no need to get all defensive. Thanks for confirming that DPW tracks associates. Most other firms do not do this FWIW. If you want to know where someone is at my firm, you can always just ask them via email/phone/Skype/carrier pigeon.

Could just be the way I read the post, but nothing about his post seems to be "getting all defensive." Sounded just like a detailed explanation of how the system is used at DPW and why the anon found it useful.