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Thank you!Anonymous User wrote: ↑Sun Apr 17, 2022 1:14 pmAs 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 wrote: ↑Sun Apr 17, 2022 1:14 pmAs 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 wrote: ↑Sun Apr 17, 2022 1:14 pmAs 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...
Damn, name the firm if it's biglaw! That's a huge perk that I think only Baker McKenzie provides right now.Anonymous User wrote: ↑Sun Apr 17, 2022 9:32 pmMy firm went from business casual to casual, perhaps in an attempt to make RTO more attractive.
+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 wrote: ↑Sun Apr 17, 2022 8:03 pm+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 wrote: ↑Sun Apr 17, 2022 1:14 pmAs 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...
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 wrote: ↑Sun Apr 17, 2022 3:58 pmCan anyone at DPW verify this? It seemed to me that firms are now business casual, even the DPWs, etc.Anonymous User wrote: ↑Sun Apr 17, 2022 1:14 pmAs 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...
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.Anonymous User wrote: ↑Sun Apr 17, 2022 3:32 pmAny 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
What do you consider an informal collared shirt? Just curious.Anonymous User wrote: ↑Tue Apr 19, 2022 7:57 pmAll 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.Anonymous User wrote: ↑Sun Apr 17, 2022 3:32 pmAny 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
Edit: could also vary some by group but who knows
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 experienceAnonymous User wrote: ↑Tue Apr 19, 2022 8:13 pmWhat do you consider an informal collared shirt? Just curious.Anonymous User wrote: ↑Tue Apr 19, 2022 7:57 pmAll 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.Anonymous User wrote: ↑Sun Apr 17, 2022 3:32 pmAny 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
Edit: could also vary some by group but who knows
That more or less captures what I meantRes Ipsa Loquitter wrote: ↑Wed Apr 20, 2022 1:10 amMost 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 experienceAnonymous User wrote: ↑Tue Apr 19, 2022 8:13 pmWhat do you consider an informal collared shirt? Just curious.Anonymous User wrote: ↑Tue Apr 19, 2022 7:57 pmAll 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.Anonymous User wrote: ↑Sun Apr 17, 2022 3:32 pmAny 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
Edit: could also vary some by group but who knows
- 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
I, too, would love to knowSackboy wrote: ↑Mon Apr 18, 2022 6:15 amDamn, name the firm if it's biglaw! That's a huge perk that I think only Baker McKenzie provides right now.Anonymous User wrote: ↑Sun Apr 17, 2022 9:32 pmMy firm went from business casual to casual, perhaps in an attempt to make RTO more attractive.
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 wrote: ↑Thu Apr 21, 2022 5:37 pmI, too, would love to knowSackboy wrote: ↑Mon Apr 18, 2022 6:15 amDamn, name the firm if it's biglaw! That's a huge perk that I think only Baker McKenzie provides right now.Anonymous User wrote: ↑Sun Apr 17, 2022 9:32 pmMy firm went from business casual to casual, perhaps in an attempt to make RTO more attractive.
It’s common to keep an emergency suit/tie in the office but probably not an issue for summersAnonymous User wrote: ↑Thu Apr 21, 2022 10:55 pm3L 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?
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 wrote: ↑Fri Apr 22, 2022 3:19 amIt’s common to keep an emergency suit/tie in the office but probably not an issue for summersAnonymous User wrote: ↑Thu Apr 21, 2022 10:55 pm3L 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 wrote: ↑Thu Apr 21, 2022 10:55 pm3L 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?
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 wrote: ↑Fri Apr 22, 2022 4:18 pmAt least in litigation, clients don't just spontaneously show up to the office.Anonymous User wrote: ↑Thu Apr 21, 2022 10:55 pm3L 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?
PattersonAnonymous User wrote: ↑Thu Apr 21, 2022 5:37 pmI, too, would love to knowSackboy wrote: ↑Mon Apr 18, 2022 6:15 amDamn, name the firm if it's biglaw! That's a huge perk that I think only Baker McKenzie provides right now.Anonymous User wrote: ↑Sun Apr 17, 2022 9:32 pmMy firm went from business casual to casual, perhaps in an attempt to make RTO more attractive.
No. Or if it does, I'm not cool enough to be invited. Most meetings happen on video anyway.Anonymous User wrote: ↑Thu Apr 21, 2022 10:55 pm3L 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?