Biglaw and Instant Messaging: Open Thread
(Or, Winston & Strawn to Employees: No Meebo for You!)
If Winston & Strawn ends up merging with Heller Ehrman (or any other firm), here’s a question to consider: Whose instant-messaging policy will prevail? A tipster tells us:
“Winston has blocked Meebo, Gchat, and all other possible chat clients.”
We checked with sources at Winston, who report that this policy is nothing new. Instant messenger programs have been blocked at Winston for quite some time (at least several months).
But we still found the policy interesting, especially in light of recent blogosphere discussion of website blocking. It got us wondering: What other law firms prevent their employees from using instant messaging?
Instant messaging can be a huge time suck. Workplaces that ban IM’ing, at least between their employees and outsiders [FN1], are probably more productive. Most people would rather IM with a law school classmate about the evilness of Katherine Mayfair on Desperate Housewives than plow through a stack of sale/leaseback agreements.
But a ban on instant messaging — especially if accompanied by other measures, like preventing people from accessing non-work email accounts from the office (hello, Goldman Sachs) — could lower employee morale. We’re reminded of how Allen & Overy faced a mini-revolt after banning Facebook in its London office (a policy it quickly reversed).
ATL readers: Any thoughts? Does your firm prevent you from using an instant-message client? If so, does it tick you off? If not, do you wish it did, à la Odysseus wanting to be tied to the mast?
[FN1] We’re not counting the internal IM systems that some firms — e.g., Kirkland & Ellis (if memory serves) — have in place. These networks probably still transmit a lot of gossip, of the “omg have you seen the new para’s outfit” variety. But when you’re limited to IM’ing with your co-workers, a lot of your talk will be about…. work.
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Comments
First!
Testing, testing.... I tried to comment on this an hour ago but it looks like my comment never went through....
Kirkland permits AIM at work (and its not a KE aim)
Is there a KE special IM system, or do they just use normal IM?
Hello? Anyone here?
Jones Day has an internal IM system connected to its email, and doesn't block any IM sites as far as I know.
easy, just use the paralegals to courier your IM's by hand...not as instant but gets the job done
Stuff like this never happens at ...... Never mind.
my firm blocks facebook and craisglist...but not ebay. go figure.
it's all the damn secretaries, they don't care what the attorneys do.
Akin - Houston just started blocking gchat and a bunch of other sites ... that's how you know they're gay.
2:57 - What firm are you at? Blocking Facebook is...... harsh.
A friend of mine at a midlaw FL firm is not only blocked off from AIM, facebook, etc., but can't send or receive emails that have naughty words in them. This makes it very difficult for me to call him a "bitch," which I like to do twice daily. The bot reply I get is something along the lines of "your message cannot go through because it constitutes a server content violation." I am not kidding.
They disconnected my telegraph.
tired of Winston & Strawn related posts
3:00 - I'm gay and have no problem with people using IMs. I fail to see your point.
3:08, Did you ever see this popular movie called "40 Year Old Virgin?" If you did, you would be aware of the context, which renders the expression "know how I know you are gay," decidedly not homophobic. Frankly, you have a stick up your ass.
/Zing!
I see nothing wrong with banning Facebook at work.
Actually, I see nothing wrong with burning facebook off the internet entirely.
my firm blocks the sunlight and sometimes doesn't let us have nap time
my firm didn't block gmail but somehow was able to block gchat that's embedded within gmail. Now that was hearbreaking. I wonder if they'll do the same with facebook chat.
omg! u mean ppl will have to wrk now? omg!
3:54 - The proper expression is "zomg!!1!!11!"
can u ppl pls idenitify your firms by name when u post in this thread
ack! life without gchat????!!!
Jenner & Block (Chicago) has an internal IM service as well. I think it is very convenient. Although, I'm sure some people abuse it.
what happened to my effing comments? i posted two of them! this sucks lat.
also... there needs to be instructions on posting pictures/avatars. i've tried a dozen times with super small files that should have been below any site's size restriction. wtf?
what happened to my effing comments? i posted two of them! this sucks lat.
also... there needs to be instructions on posting pictures/avatars. i've tried a dozen times with super small files that should have been below any site's size restriction. wtf?
I am a large firm in New York City. I do not block any websites. I have an internal IM system for all employees and allow Meebo, gmail chat, facebook, and everything else for external communication. All of my attorneys have Pentium Core Duo computers with dual 19" LCD monitors. Currently I am rolling out Blackberry Curves to everyone.
Who am I?
Latham & Watkins?
They were the only dual monitor people I saw during interviews.
PW: Internal IM system that works with AIM. Allows Gchat but not Meebo.
When I was at Cravath, they had an internal IM system (and for at least the past 7 years), that could integrate with outside systems. Not sure about external clients. Had dual monitor (by request).
Where I am now, no such luck, and sorely missed.
dunno what you're talking about i have friends at wintson whom I IM with ....
5:04=SRZ
I keep myself logged into gchat so I can keep in touch with my partner during the day. I don't discuss confidential information and I don't talk shit about co-workers.
It would really anger me if my firm blocked it, enough so that I'd consider switching firms to one less stuck in the dark pre-Internet ages. I am an adult, I work very, very hard for my firm, and I sure as hell don't like being treated like I need a nanny.
Now I know not to work at Winston, that's for sure.
this is a stupid conversation.
Someone should tell Winston that their restrictions have already cost them the services of 1:35--a very, very hardworking adult.