A Shout-Out from the Good Folks at Debevoise & Plimpton
The law firms and lawyers that come across the best in these pages are those that don't take ATL too seriously. This site is a good-natured legal tabloid, and the best way to react to it is with a smile or a laugh -- not a meltdown or a witch hunt.
This is something that Debevoise & Plimpton understands:
At the annual firm dinner, held last night at the Pierre Hotel, a firm video was presented. It's the associates' chance to put together a send-up of the firm, somewhat in "Law Revue" fashion. The centerpiece of this year's film was "Good Morning, Debevoise", to the tune of "Good Morning, Baltimore" (from "Hairspray: the Musical"). Also notable was the "preview" for "Investigation," scenes from an internal investigation frighteningly similar to one Debevoise is currently undertaking in Germany.Thought you'd like to know that in the video, there was a reference to ATL reporting on associate benefits. E.g., helicopter rides home from work to outer boroughs. The partnership caves, then has to cut costs elsewhere. Very funny.
Sounds delightful. Any chance of that video making it on to YouTube? Showing that it has a sense of humor can only help a firm in the recruiting process (although Debevoise already does very well for itself).
(26) Comments
Posted In: Debevoise & Plimpton
The idea of law firm associates putting together a "Law Revue" piece to be performed at their annual firm dinner is giving me dry heaves.
The people behind this kind of thing have got to be insufferable.
7:29 is mad at life. Get a woman please and stop hating everything/everybody.
Debevoise is awesome. I have spent a couple of years already trying to get hired there.
orrick SF people know their bonuses. DISCUSS!
I've seen these videos. They're surprisingly funny and really pretty endearing.
I agree, 7:29, anyone at a law firm with a personality or sense of humor is totally insufferable. They should just get back to work and be as dry and humorless as possible. Those associates clearly won't make partner. They probably didn't even go to elite law schools. Yeccccch.
I'm a little surprised by the hostility.
I guess I was wrong to conclude that most people could come up with a lot better things to do with their time than spend it making a 'humorous' law firm video.
From now on, these guys are what I aspire to be:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wmIObmv2t6M
These "skits", "roasts", "revues" (whatever they may be called at your firm) are great ideas in theory. But, it is my experience that they always wind up being a lot of extra work for associates. My firm does one at Christmas, and it is a pretty big deal. This year, I got completely slammed when someone 2 years ahead of me quit, and I got staffed on her deals. Not a problem, but since it was 4Q, I had absolutely no time for the "skit". Wound up catching some flack from both partners and fellow associates for my minimal participation. Now I'm all for having some fun during and after working hours. But when some d-bag (non-equity) partner gives me shit about not participating when I just billed 180 hours the previous three weeks, I just walked away and headed for the bar. And then, there are always some a-hole partners who get totally offended by people making fun of them and hold it against people forever.
i <3 debevoise!!!
I agree, 7:29 and 9:01. I worked at Cleary, and they have all sorts of time-consuming mandatory crud like this around winter holiday time. After billing like mad for many moons for the greedy millionaires, required "revue" / skit idiocy is a morale killer, not builder. I much prefered using the minimal spare time to get to know my new spouse or try to see old friends.
Guys at my high school used to cut undersea cables all the time, it was no big deal.
Debevoise to 190.
Ah, yes, these video skits that so generously allow associate-slaves to show "irreverance." The beast rattling the cage . . . just a bit.
I agree with the original poster, this trend is extremely dorky and wholly worthy of mockery. Likely the work of college acapella and improv troupe members trying to recapture the drama club glory one last time.
AND YOU KNOW WHAT? THERE ARE REALLY COOL. GOOD MORNING INDEED DEBEVOISE!
Orrick people have all known what their bonuses would be since the beginning of 2007 when the 2007 bonus memo was released. Nobody should be surprised at what they received unless it wasn't in line with the bonus memo. Although, associates in non-NY offices (particularly DC) have some cause to be a bit disgruntled about the the firm granting special bonuses to the folks in NY only.
On the other hand, if you're in SF Orrick's bonus is probably already better than everyone else's.
There is a lot of bitterness in my firm in Boston because they don't pay for taxis at night unless you can bill it to the client. Is it true that only in NY are cabs home available after 9 pm?
This video production is a long-standing firm dinner tradition at Debevoise. Participation is wholly voluntary....usually a small dedicated group of associates. The quality of the project is always very high and the video is always extremely funny.
Who gets their panties in a bunch from making a law firm skit? Congrats on being such punch-drunk supporters of your (any) firm. Nerds.
Lil, cabs (or parking) can be charged to the firm after 8 in DC.
9:01, 11:18, I'm sorry to hear that's the way things roll at your firm. It's not the way it works at D&P--- there's no pressure to work on the firm skit, it woudln't work well if people were forced to do it. I think your firms have lost the point, that doing this is supposed to be FUN. Hope things get better over there.
I think the firm-skit issue varies from firm to firm.
I was an associate at Debevoise and helped out on the skit one year. It's actually fun, the quality tends to be very high, people volunteer to work on it, they actually enjoy doing it, and the people who view it at the dinner actually appreciate the effort and the humor. Yes, many lawyers have either a lame or no sense of humor at all. But that project seems to self select the most creative people, so it's actually funny. The one I helped with was great.
I realize that this would not be the case at (many) other firms, but it's true at Debevoise. I love that place, and the people who work there.
Sorry to hear you're all at law firms run by and populated with jerks. These kind of things (firm skits, team holiday parties) are enjoyable at Debevoise because the people there are nice human beings who generally like each other and the work they do. So a firm skit is not an obligation. It has the opposite effect as what's apparently happening at other firms. Don't assume that every firm is the same.
Hmm, lots of carefully crafted pro-D&P emails here, saying wonderful things about the firm that are pretty much the opposite of what everyone I know who works or worked there says about the place. Gotta wonder.
Agreed with 1:06 and 12:58 -- the vids are high quality and pretty damn good. Partners are willing to be laughed at, including Mary Jo White who clearly has a fantastic sense of humor about herself, her rep, and even her height. Keep in mind that those at D&P actually like the people they work with and D&P has some pretty interesting folks that bring the quality up tremendously. One guy who was heavily involved around 2002-2004 left the firm to go to film school and some of the current folks heavily involved have backgrounds in broadway theater.
I suspect that 1:06 fabricated his comment out of thin air. I have worked at D&P for a number of years and have really never heard somone bitching about the firm (aside from normal BigLaw complaints...long hours, etc.). People at D&P really do love the firm....if they leave, it is usually to go into public interest, government, or a small firm.