Davis Polk/NYC Biglaw updated dress code? Forum

[merelyagunner]

How have NYC biglaw dress codes changed or not changed since COVID? My impression when interviewing was that casual dress was often permitted during WFH, but I don't know if things are back to being as formal as they were in person. I will be a summer associate at DPW; basically I am wondering if I need to have a full complement of white shirts with blazers, etc. Thanks!

[Anonymous User]

As a summer at DPW, you should definitely be prepared with a full complement of white shirts and blazers, etc. It might be true that some attorneys at DPW can get away with casual dress at the office post-COVID, but a summer associate wouldn't be one of them. Davis Polk has a reputation for being somewhat straight-laced and small-c conservative. It's not Quinn Emanuel after all...

[merelyagunner]

As a summer at DPW, you should definitely be prepared with a full complement of white shirts and blazers, etc. It might be true that some attorneys at DPW can get away with casual dress at the office post-COVID, but a summer associate wouldn't be one of them. Davis Polk has a reputation for being somewhat straight-laced and small-c conservative. It's not Quinn Emanuel after all...

Thank you!

[Anonymous User]

Any insight into where S&C falls on this spectrum? Did an office tour over the summer and people were not wearing blazers but the office was not particularly full at that point

[Anonymous User]

As a summer at DPW, you should definitely be prepared with a full complement of white shirts and blazers, etc. It might be true that some attorneys at DPW can get away with casual dress at the office post-COVID, but a summer associate wouldn't be one of them. Davis Polk has a reputation for being somewhat straight-laced and small-c conservative. It's not Quinn Emanuel after all...

Can anyone at DPW verify this? It seemed to me that firms are now business casual, even the DPWs, etc.

[Anonymous User]

As a summer at DPW, you should definitely be prepared with a full complement of white shirts and blazers, etc. It might be true that some attorneys at DPW can get away with casual dress at the office post-COVID, but a summer associate wouldn't be one of them. Davis Polk has a reputation for being somewhat straight-laced and small-c conservative. It's not Quinn Emanuel after all...

+1. I worked at DPW and then another V10. Walking around the office, there's definitely a noticeable difference in dress and culture. As a side note, don't let posters around here tell you culture is impossible to determine or doesn't exist beyond anecdotes as between comparably ranked firms. DPW is one of the more conservative office environments in Big Law.

[Anonymous User]

My firm went from business casual to casual, perhaps in an attempt to make RTO more attractive.

[Sackboy]

My firm went from business casual to casual, perhaps in an attempt to make RTO more attractive.

Damn, name the firm if it's biglaw! That's a huge perk that I think only Baker McKenzie provides right now.

[Anonymous User]

In the last 5-6 years, DPW has been "business casual" and I wouldn't describe that dress code as particularly rigid. Post-COVID, the dress code definitely leans much more casual - jeans, sweaters without collared shirt underneath, (nicer) sneakers, etc. are very common from partners down to first year associates. Should you show up on your first day as a summer associate in a polo and linen pants? Probably not. But as a general matter, the dress code is very flexible.

[Anonymous User]

As a summer at DPW, you should definitely be prepared with a full complement of white shirts and blazers, etc. It might be true that some attorneys at DPW can get away with casual dress at the office post-COVID, but a summer associate wouldn't be one of them. Davis Polk has a reputation for being somewhat straight-laced and small-c conservative. It's not Quinn Emanuel after all...

+1. I worked at DPW and then another V10. Walking around the office, there's definitely a noticeable difference in dress and culture. As a side note, don't let posters around here tell you culture is impossible to determine or doesn't exist beyond anecdotes as between comparably ranked firms. DPW is one of the more conservative office environments in Big Law.

+1 for this person's side note. I've worked at 2 different V10s and have friends that worked at others. Law firm culture's do vary significantly. Here's a fun one - go on to a firm's website and look at the average age of the partners. You can get a lot from that alone.

[Anonymous User]

As a summer at DPW, you should definitely be prepared with a full complement of white shirts and blazers, etc. It might be true that some attorneys at DPW can get away with casual dress at the office post-COVID, but a summer associate wouldn't be one of them. Davis Polk has a reputation for being somewhat straight-laced and small-c conservative. It's not Quinn Emanuel after all...

Can anyone at DPW verify this? It seemed to me that firms are now business casual, even the DPWs, etc.

Current DPW associate... DPW has been casual to business casual... but perhaps for a summer lean toward business casual - blazers seem rare but button down and nice pants seems appropriate [editing to add the following: perhaps wear blazer for first day or two and see how summers are but from Gen pop certainly not many blazers]

[Anonymous User]

Any insight into where S&C falls on this spectrum? Did an office tour over the summer and people were not wearing blazers but the office was not particularly full at that point

All over the place currently. Some people in jeans, sneakers and an informal collared shirt (this is all going to be geared to men) and others in suit and tie. I’d show up in a suit (probably don’t need a tie) the first day and then play it by ear. Probably not the best look for summers to move to the super casual side of things immediately (I might feel awkward as a summer being in jeans when the partner who called you into their office could be wearing a suit), but also it won’t actually matter so you do you.

Edit: could also vary some by group but who knows

[Anonymous User]

Any insight into where S&C falls on this spectrum? Did an office tour over the summer and people were not wearing blazers but the office was not particularly full at that point

All over the place currently. Some people in jeans, sneakers and an informal collared shirt (this is all going to be geared to men) and others in suit and tie. I’d show up in a suit (probably don’t need a tie) the first day and then play it by ear. Probably not the best look for summers to move to the super casual side of things immediately (I might feel awkward as a summer being in jeans when the partner who called you into their office could be wearing a suit), but also it won’t actually matter so you do you.

Edit: could also vary some by group but who knows

What do you consider an informal collared shirt? Just curious.

[Res Ipsa Loquitter]

Any insight into where S&C falls on this spectrum? Did an office tour over the summer and people were not wearing blazers but the office was not particularly full at that point

All over the place currently. Some people in jeans, sneakers and an informal collared shirt (this is all going to be geared to men) and others in suit and tie. I’d show up in a suit (probably don’t need a tie) the first day and then play it by ear. Probably not the best look for summers to move to the super casual side of things immediately (I might feel awkward as a summer being in jeans when the partner who called you into their office could be wearing a suit), but also it won’t actually matter so you do you.

Edit: could also vary some by group but who knows

What do you consider an informal collared shirt? Just curious.

Most obvious is a polo shirt. Maybe in 2022 calling a button down shirt informal seems archaic, sort of like when people say "sport coat" .... Here are a few factors from my experience

• Colorful, louder, or quirkier pattern that you wouldn't wear to a job interview
• Button down collar and/or collar that can't take a collar-stay
• Chest pocket
• Stretchy material or jersey material
• textured fabric, like linen or chambray
• light fabric like nylon or polyester, versus cotton
• Short sleeve button downs

[Anonymous User]

Any insight into where S&C falls on this spectrum? Did an office tour over the summer and people were not wearing blazers but the office was not particularly full at that point

All over the place currently. Some people in jeans, sneakers and an informal collared shirt (this is all going to be geared to men) and others in suit and tie. I’d show up in a suit (probably don’t need a tie) the first day and then play it by ear. Probably not the best look for summers to move to the super casual side of things immediately (I might feel awkward as a summer being in jeans when the partner who called you into their office could be wearing a suit), but also it won’t actually matter so you do you.

Edit: could also vary some by group but who knows

What do you consider an informal collared shirt? Just curious.

Most obvious is a polo shirt. Maybe in 2022 calling a button down shirt informal seems archaic, sort of like when people say "sport coat" .... Here are a few factors from my experience

• Colorful, louder, or quirkier pattern that you wouldn't wear to a job interview
• Button down collar and/or collar that can't take a collar-stay
• Chest pocket
• Stretchy material or jersey material
• textured fabric, like linen or chambray
• light fabric like nylon or polyester, versus cotton
• Short sleeve button downs

That more or less captures what I meant

[Anonymous User]

My firm went from business casual to casual, perhaps in an attempt to make RTO more attractive.

Damn, name the firm if it's biglaw! That's a huge perk that I think only Baker McKenzie provides right now.

I, too, would love to know

[Anonymous User]

My firm went from business casual to casual, perhaps in an attempt to make RTO more attractive.

Damn, name the firm if it's biglaw! That's a huge perk that I think only Baker McKenzie provides right now.

I, too, would love to know

Gibson adopted a "more relaxed" dress code that explicitly allows jeans, while encouraging "everyone to use their good judgment" about dressing up when the workday requires it. Some people in the DC office take advantage of that, others still show up in suits.

[Anonymous User]

3L here. I worked in IB before law school, and I was frequently pulled into random client meetings in the office that I had no idea existed at the start of any given day. So I always had a tie and suit jacket lying around; I can’t see how that would mesh with a business casual or full casual dress code.

Does that phenomenon (random client meetings) not exist in post-covid biglaw? Or the clients themselves are so casual that they no longer expect their lawyers to be suited up?

[Anonymous User]

3L here. I worked in IB before law school, and I was frequently pulled into random client meetings in the office that I had no idea existed at the start of any given day. So I always had a tie and suit jacket lying around; I can’t see how that would mesh with a business casual or full casual dress code.

Does that phenomenon (random client meetings) not exist in post-covid biglaw? Or the clients themselves are so casual that they no longer expect their lawyers to be suited up?

It’s common to keep an emergency suit/tie in the office but probably not an issue for summers

[Anonymous User]

3L here. I worked in IB before law school, and I was frequently pulled into random client meetings in the office that I had no idea existed at the start of any given day. So I always had a tie and suit jacket lying around; I can’t see how that would mesh with a business casual or full casual dress code.

Does that phenomenon (random client meetings) not exist in post-covid biglaw? Or the clients themselves are so casual that they no longer expect their lawyers to be suited up?

It’s common to keep an emergency suit/tie in the office but probably not an issue for summers

Yep, I work at a true casual firm (not a jeans "casual" firm) where I wear shorts and graphic Ts all the time. If I have a client call, I just put on a sweater I keep in my office that would qualify as business casual or if something is in person I put on my "emergency suit". The idea that law firms need to be anything but casual in 2022 is silly and far too conservative.

[Anonymous User]

3L here. I worked in IB before law school, and I was frequently pulled into random client meetings in the office that I had no idea existed at the start of any given day. So I always had a tie and suit jacket lying around; I can’t see how that would mesh with a business casual or full casual dress code.

Does that phenomenon (random client meetings) not exist in post-covid biglaw? Or the clients themselves are so casual that they no longer expect their lawyers to be suited up?

At least in litigation, clients don't just spontaneously show up to the office.

[Anonymous User]

3L here. I worked in IB before law school, and I was frequently pulled into random client meetings in the office that I had no idea existed at the start of any given day. So I always had a tie and suit jacket lying around; I can’t see how that would mesh with a business casual or full casual dress code.

Does that phenomenon (random client meetings) not exist in post-covid biglaw? Or the clients themselves are so casual that they no longer expect their lawyers to be suited up?

At least in litigation, clients don't just spontaneously show up to the office.

They didn’t say that the meetings were spontaneous, just that they didn’t get notice of them before the day they were happening. (That said, yeah, I think people would generally have notice.)

[Anonymous User]

Most biglaw firms are not even business casual right now. At my v20 we have associates in tee shirts in client meetings, which are almost always on Zoom/phone.

One thing law students or summers may not realize is that we talk to our clients all the time, and it’s not usually a big deal.

As a summer you should wear wool pants, belt, black/brown gray oxfords or loafers (matching your belt) and a blue/white button down shirt on day 1. Skip the tie. Then you can downshift from there based on what you see in the office.

[Anonymous User]

My firm went from business casual to casual, perhaps in an attempt to make RTO more attractive.

Damn, name the firm if it's biglaw! That's a huge perk that I think only Baker McKenzie provides right now.

I, too, would love to know

Patterson

[Anonymous User]

3L here. I worked in IB before law school, and I was frequently pulled into random client meetings in the office that I had no idea existed at the start of any given day. So I always had a tie and suit jacket lying around; I can’t see how that would mesh with a business casual or full casual dress code.

Does that phenomenon (random client meetings) not exist in post-covid biglaw? Or the clients themselves are so casual that they no longer expect their lawyers to be suited up?

No. Or if it does, I'm not cool enough to be invited. Most meetings happen on video anyway.