Biglaw Food & Meals Forum

[Lincoln]

I've read somewhere that biglaw also provides free taxi service home for associates as well (esp. useful for those long and late-night work sessions where driving home may be dangerous). Is this true of most firms?

I know there are gyms and showers in the firms as well. What about laundry, daycare, a television room, bowling alley, library or recreational/relaxation area? What other interesting things do they provide to keep you guys tethered and comfortable at the office?

Free taxis/car service after 8 at my firm (NYC). Basically, if you stay late enough to get dinner, you can catch a cab home on the firm's dime.

I think your image of firms is a bit off. This places are not Google. They're run by old, conservative partners. I cannot imagine a law firm with a bowling alley in NYC.

Gyms vary. Many firms have them, many don't. Mine does not. Yes to shower and library (every firm has a library). No to laundry, daycare, television room (but there are ~1 million dry cleaners per square block in NYC, so a non-issue). Oh, but we had a "Wellness Room." It was basically just an odd assortment of random furniture in an old office. We joked about it frequently with the associates, none of whom were aware that it existed or what purpose it was actually serving.

Firms want to make you comfortable, yes. But more importantly, they want you to bill. A bowling alley, a TV room, etc are not going to help your billables.

My NYC firm actually has daycare, but otherwise I think what you say is true for pretty much every firm.

[scifiguy]

What about tipping in biglaw?

Do you find that people (delivery boys, drivers, etc.) expect larger tips simply because you are a biglaw associate? And do you, in fact, give larger tips?

[stillwater]

What about tipping in biglaw?

Do you find that people (delivery boys, drivers, etc.) expect larger tips simply because you are a biglaw associate? And do you, in fact, give larger tips?

i usually give the delivery boys a gold watch.

[180orbust]

2nd year associate in NYC here. There is no tipping. Deliveries are made to office services. Our coffee is undrinkable. I've had my own office since I was halfway through my first year. We don't have a cafeteria. I think firms that use the whole building, or that share the building with an HQ-like office have cafeterias. So many crummy lunch deli/salad buffets around here that there is little need for a cafeteria. If you stay past 7:30 or work on weekends, you can bill your meals to the client. I eat in my office all the time. Keeping a stash of food is necessary for survival.