Chicago firm Freeborn and Peters has upped the stakes in the crazy, fun website competition. Their career site promises associates the opportunity to “thrive in an open, supportive, collegial culture.” A series of recruitment videos have firm attorneys and partners in starring roles and are a testament to the firm’s unorthodox culture. Check them out here– they are long, but worth it.
Our favorite video is “Attorney Lunch,” featuring attorneys snoozing, taking shots of coffee, and whistling while they march, as well as an evil partner who misdirects said attorneys to an e-discovery seminar instead of a “weekly gathering of attorneys with free food and drink.” We are left wondering though why Freeborn attorneys have such paralegalish days: making photocopies and re-stacking boxes of document production.
Another video, “Bags,” ends with the exhortation: “Work Hard. Play Hard.”
Our tipster came across the videos while job hunting, and captured our reaction well:
I’m still not entirely sure what I think of them as a recruiting tool. On the one hand, they’re completely hilarious, especially for a law firm, and I thought it made the firm look like a fun place to work. On the other hand, I could see how a lot of people would think the videos portrayed the associates as unprofessional (doodling and bored while on the phone with someone, looking unprepared while taking a deposition, etc.). So I think it completely depends on how you think they struck the balance between good humor and professionalism. I’m sort of amazed that the firm put the videos up on its website at all, but ultimately I think it was a good thing they buried the videos on the associate recruiting page where potential clients most likely wouldn’t look!
The videos are funny, but Freeborn, a 120-attorney firm specializing in bankruptcy, real estate, and regulatory law, is definitely taking a risk with them. What do you think? Do they work?
first
should i wear a suit to our first class meeting with career services???
-nervous T-10 1L
Dear Students,
November 1 is almost upon us, and we have many programs and services
to help 1Ls explore career opportunities. Our first program,
“Introduction to the Offices of Career Services and Public Service,”
will be held this Monday, Nov 3., 12:20 – 1:20 p.m. in 100
HH. Assistant Deans Susan Guindi and Mary Ann Sarosi will discuss
the 1L job search, including the types of jobs you should consider
and resources to help in your search.
We are sending you this email to alert you since it’s our first
program, but in the future, we will only advertise through the
students’ portal, M Law Live, http://www.law.umich.edu/MLawLive. Please
check the portal for more information on our upcoming resume
workshops, Interviewing Tips programs, interviewing workshops, and
other programs.
For those who cannot attend, we will audiotape this program and make
the recording available on our website.
Susan M. Guindi
Assistant Dean for Career Services
University of Michigan Law School
Third? Really? It’s better than I ever imagined.
fourth
I think you’re kinda hot, Kash.
I would hate to be asked to do this kind of bullshit.
“Another video, “Bags,” ends with the exhortation: “Work Hard. Play Hard.”"
Wow, that is SO original!! Awesome!
2: enough. please.
2: enough. please.
Reasons why AbovetheLaw sucks now
1) The shticks (Nervous 1L, Wildman Harrold) suck terribly. They are not funny AT ALL, get oldREAL FAST, and it is pretty clear that the geekiest weirdest 1L at some T89 school is writing them.
2) Grammar Nazis are tools, but Elie’s mistakes are extremely annoying
3) Elie sometimes finds a way to post the inane, stupid, who-the-fuck-cares stories from the corners of the web. When he gets really uncreative he just posts the same thread multiple times (OCI bloopers, Accept your Offer, etc…)
4) Elie’s liberal political commentary on every single thread. Ok, you’re a flaming liberal. We get it. Not all of your (soon to be ex) readers agree with your views, so shut it.
5) Hope Winters
6) The way Elie deliberately and repeatedly distorts facts and writes demonstrably wrong things on his posts. Its extremely unprofessional
First to say, the videos weren’t that funny.
I’m a UMich student and that email is not from our career services. Nervous T10 1l is flame. Stupid, annoying flame.
First to say MysTTTal.
Ex-Thelen associates need to apply to this firm, stat.
It may be the only way to preserve the illusion that you’re in Biglaw at this point in time.
I think the videos are a cool idea, wish more firms were that laid back. And I have a feeling most clients couldn’t care less, assuming the firm’s work product is solid.
By the way, the main reason this blog sucks now are all the stupid fucking comments.
Sorry, low-hanging fruit and all…
Freeborn & PeTTTers
Nuff ’said!
I think the videos are a cool idea, wish more firms were that laid back. And I have a feeling most clients couldn’t care less, assuming the firm’s work product is solid.
By the way, the main reason this blog sucks now are all the stupid fucking comments.
t10 1l crap is really annoying
-happy t2 1L
this lunch video that Freeborn has on their websiTTTe is one of the most retarded things I’ve ever watched. what a bunch of tttools!!!!!! makes me want to stay away from there.
Guys at my high school used to list reasons why ATL sucks now all the time, they invariably had small penises.
God, you commentors are such BITCHES, I can scarcely believe it. This isn’t the volokh conspiracy for crying out loud, take your stupid nit-picking, never satisfied asses over there or STFU.
I will now hit post 10 times to annoy you.
12: Actually we just got this email from career services about an hour ago.
-Michigan 1L
Why are people criticizing Mystal in the comments thread of an article posted by Hill? Inattention to detail, lack of originality, or intense dislike?
The first chick in “Attorney Lunch” is HOT! Anyone agree?
The first chick in “Attorney Lunch” is HOT! Anyone agree?
If Kash and Elie had a baby, do you think it would be:
a) a good-looking, grammatically challenged libtard, or
b) a multi-chinned blobular hideousness, somehow able to peck out a coherent, politically-neutral post with its greasy bratwurst fingers ?
I love the videos and would definitely consider working for the firm, even for less money. Having worked for over fifteen years, I’ve come to realize that while money is nice, it’s more important that you actually like the people and place you work.
It seems that the grammar nazis, Elie haters, ‘first’ posters, etc. have lost all sense of reality, humor, empathy and all human emotions. If you don’t like the blog, videos, etc., don’t read or watch them. Get over yourselves.
I love the videos and would definitely consider working for the firm, even for less money. Having worked for over fifteen years, I’ve come to realize that while money is nice, it’s more important that you actually like the people and place you work.
It seems that the grammar nazis, Elie haters, ‘first’ posters, etc. have lost all sense of reality, humor, empathy and all human emotions. If you don’t like the blog, videos, etc., don’t read or watch them. Get over yourselves.
Freeborn & Peters is an OK firm. But students, if you hear any associate (or partner) drone use the phrase “work hard, play hard” as some kind of recruiting pitch, please immediately pass go and deposit a cup of hot coffee in said associate’s face. Unless it was a joke, that person is a koolaid drinker of the lowest origin.
FWIW, I don’t think Freeborn has a summer program, so I don’t think they care about law student recruiting.
Seems like the videos are well below average law-revue quality.
Anyone know salary there? I am a Junior Biglaw associate have gotten a few headhunters calling with openings there. There are a few decent looking associates (female) there to boot as well!
31 = “Anyone want to buy a sexual harrassment lawsuit???”
24,
Sweet mother of God, get out of the office.
Even her wrists are fat, man.
Now please punch yourself in the face until tomorrow.
33 – Are you talking about the chick on the phone that puts the client on “hold”? She is HOT! She definitely does not have fat wrists. WTF are you talking about?
33 – Are you talking about the chick on the phone that puts the client on “hold”? She is HOT! She definitely does not have fat wrists. WTF are you talking about?
10:
“2) Grammar Nazis are tools, but Elie’s mistakes are extremely annoying
6) The way Elie deliberately and repeatedly distorts facts and writes demonstrably wrong things on his posts. Its extremely unprofessional.”
IT’S extremely unprofessional.
While Freeborn and Peters may have taken it a bit further, they definitely aren’t the first ones with pithy/stupid recruiting videos…
http://www.choate.com/careers.php
Former F&P associate here. Great firm overall, really take care of their associates and people are generally happy (at least compared to other firms). Pay is a little below biglaw, first years start around $130k and 7th years are probably around $200k. 2000 billable hour requirement. The videos are a little cheesy, but it shows why some people like to work there. Laid back, friendly place. You may call it unprofessional, others may like it. Its not for everyone.
Is it disturbing that the song they are whistling as they march down the hallway in “Attorney Lunch” is the whistled theme song to “Bridge Over the River Kwai,” where it was whistled by a slave work gang of prisoners? Yes, I think so.
Also a former F&P associate here. The firm has lots a pretty good looking women. A handful of them are pretty flirty too. Even though they are married, they still fool around with coworkers after firm events and such.
I found these videos very entertaining, creative, and enjoyable. And those wrists were quite fit and lithe, not fat.
I found these videos very entertaining, creative, and enjoyable. And those wrists were quite fit and lithe, not fat.