K&L Gates Tells Lawyers to Go Incognito During G20 Summit
The G-20 summit is in Pittsburgh this week. That’s right, Pittsburgh, a city of unparalleled global economic dynamism!
I’m sure Pittsburgh could use the tourism. But unfortunately G-20 “tourists” tend to be an eclectic collection of global agitators. You know how some of these people roll. Instead of engaging in serious debate about the global economy, they’d rather take pitchforks and torches to a brick and mortar bank building. Yawn. Wake me up when they get out of the 18th century.
The Pittsburgh police should be ready for the ruffians. But just in case city defenses are not enough, K&L Gates will be using the ancient art of camouflage to outwit the unwashed masses. A tipster reports:
With the G20 summit being hosted in Pittsburgh this week, K&L managers have succummbed to a fit of paranoia. Normally, the dress code is business casual, but with the impending threat of roving communists, angry liberals, and scary health care reformers, the dress code has been changed to “non-business” casual during the summit week. Specifically, wearing blue jeans is not only allowed but encouraged (I swear this is not a joke). Strangely, t-shirts are still banned, but collared shirts (non-button down) are allowed. Obviously, when protesters see K&L workers they will confuse them with golfers. Presumably, the K&L management thought that lawyers wearing suits and carrying briefcases would present an irresistible target to protesters.
K&L Gates isn’t the only firm in town encouraging its employees to wear different duds. More details after the jump.
The same tipster reports that Fox Rothschild has the same worry about G-20 protesters, but has gone in an entirely different direction:
Fox Rothschild has encouraged business “non-casual” (suits and such) during the summit, presumably because the lawyers will appear to be secret service agents or otherwise more important than they really are. This leaves all associates in Pittsburgh wondering— are dark sunglasses business uncasual or unbusiness casual.
I would love to see how these fashion feints play out on the streets of Pittsburgh this week:
TRUST FUND HIPPIE: Look over there. It’s a capitalist jackboot. I can sense it.
INTERNATIONAL AGITATOR: Je voudrais porter son cul comme chapeau.
[Rabble crosses street towards K&L attorney]
TRUST FUND HIPPIE: For your support of the global comsumerist regime, you shall now be mercilessly taunted!
K&L ATTORNEY: That’s a sweet new iPhone.
INTERNATIONAL AGITATOR: Sentez mes intérieurs juteux.
K&L ATTORNEY: No. I’m wearing denim, nooooooooo …
Of course, if you are truly afraid of G-20 protesters, there is a simple way to avoid them this week. Another Pittsburgh tipster reports:
I can tell you that many large Pittsburgh businesses (I have no knowledge of the law firms) are shut down for G-20. I am working from home this week, as is everyone from my office. Way to bring business to a stand-still.
Yeah! Let’s see how well these protesters contend with remote access.
Stay safe, Pittsburgh friends. The circus will move on shortly.
Welcome to Pittsburgh [The Pittsburgh G-20 Partnership]
Demonstrators prepare to protest in city during G-20 summit [Pittsburgh Tribune-Review]
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Comments
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"Obviously, when protesters see K&L workers they will confuse them with golfers" = LOL. Also, can't K&L draw from the experiences of the Preston Gates & Ellis contingent with the WTO riots? Those guys know about pitchforks and fire.
second!
K&L Gates asked me to work from home permanently a few months ago.
K&L Gates asked me to work from home permanently a few months ago.
http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Lathamed
Liberal terrorist tactics. These are the scum of our planet, siphoning off the tax payer contributions to society while they scrounge for a meaningless existence.
Perhaps K&L should just sic their IT staff on the rioters....remember this?: http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/news/pittsburgh/s_636959.html
Please construct your work attire from old newspapers and plastic bags. Stop showering for a couple of days prior to the G20, and constantly mumble to yourself about the New World Order when walking towards the firm office building.
lawlz
Preposition-skipping smartass.
I have one question for the tipster: Are button-down shirts the usual dress-code for attorneys, or do you just not know the difference between a button down (buttons on the collar) and a dress shirt?
So far it is a nonevent. A big protest was threatened to target PNC Bank (headquartered in Pittsburgh). 25 people showed up- woohoo! I have yet to see a single protester myself.
However, who knows how the rest of the week will go. I'll be working from home the rest of the week, though my 70 attorney firm will be officially closed only Thursday and Friday.
Pittsburgh = Pussies.
Your legal betheren in New York are putting up with 160 heads of state this weeks and several thousand out-of-town FBI/FPS/DPS/USMS jack boots during the UN General Assembly - and you can't deal with the G20? Some Starbucks hating, baby seal loving, granola crunching activist should lay a beating on your sorry butts.
Partners at Quinn wear... ah fuck it too easy.
By accident I was walking from the train station past Boeing's HQ in Chicago during the WTO "protests" here. The riot police outnumbered the anarchists something like 5:1.
I'm hoping it was becasue the anarchists remember that Chicago doesn't screw around with rioters. See Mayor Daley ordering his cops to shoot to kill during the 1968 DNC riots.
I was just thinking to myself. "Self," I thought, "could ATL possibly become any lamer and irrelevant?"
Oui.
"That’s right, Pittsburgh, a city unparalleled global economic dynamism! " My like Engrish too much!
Voulez vous coucher avec moi ce soir???
18 - are you aksing Kash or Elie?
I saw PE this morning in the NYAC locker room. He is going commando today.
First a story about Roger Wiiliams and now a story about the dress code at the only
two law firms with the misfortune of being in Pittsburgh? All we need now is a NFTBL for the trifecta of lameness.
11,
Not the tipster, but I'm going with the latter. Among people who don't wear suits every day and aren't English, a "button down" shirt means a dress shirt whereas collared can mean a dress shirt or what I typically refer to as "polo shirts" and not a shirt with buttons on the collar points.
However, if I wanted to be really snarky I could turn this back around on you. As it was originally used in English (as opposed to American English), "shirt" refers to a button front shirt with a collar, whereas "dress shirt" refers a particular type of shirt that would be typically worn at a black tie or white tie event.
We need to bomb these protesters back to the stoneage!
-DOJ Secure
I've ragged on Elie's posts before. So I'll state that this was a good one.
Officials for the City of London gave the same advice -- to dress down -- to business people the last time the G20 met in March.
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601109&sid=a.OF8QhxA_uk
Hey 23, when can I expect my application rejection e-mail?
Thanks,
DOJ (in)secure!
22. I humbly accept your point regarding the British English/American English distinction. As the comments to yesterday's jerk-judge post revealed, readers of this site only accept American English, so I tried to use a term that they would understand. It warms the cockles of my heart that there is another reader with at least a speck of refinement on this blog.
-11
That Bloomberg article mentioned is really funny: March 30 (Bloomberg) -- Graham Williams, an insurance company director, has a warning for protesters planning to bring London’s financial district to a standstill this week: “We’re not all pansies.”
As officials in the City of London advise financial workers to dress down and avoid confrontation , some bankers and brokers are pledging to keep their suits crisply pressed and ties firmly knotted.
“Most us have played rugby or boxed,” said Williams, 66. “If any of those guys do get violent against us individually because we’re wearing a suit, we will take action.”
Clearly, since few K&L Gates employees play rugby or box, its better for them to act like a pansy.
who the f** are you to pick on pittsburgh? moron.
The cops and national guard should use machine guns on the demonstrators. No holds barred, as they say. Kill them all.
who the f** are you to make derogatory remarks on pittsburgh? moron.
"That’s right, Pittsburgh, a city of unparalleled global economic dynamism!"
You can kiss my and my whole city's ass, Elie
This blog entry is written like an article on Foxnews.com. The tip on Fox Rothschild is total bs. Fox has a business dress code in the office and out. The dress code is suggested for G-20 as well. There wasn't any instruction to dress any differently than attorneys would otherwise dress for work.
32, you best watch out, since Elie would enjoy and possible not stop once he starts kissing your ass. He might even play with your asshole for added pleasure to himself. Beware of ass fuckers.
Elie, I don't think you are the person to be mocking trust fund hippies. "Kettle? Pot here. You're black."
New reader and first time poster here. I am looking for a website that reports news/gossip about all of the big firms and reputable law schools, but I have never heard of this firm. Is there another website I should know about?
Where's the bel air guy? You were funny with Alston & Bird, but shouldn't have done the resumes one.
Though, this one might fit. The potential protests at Pittsburgh got your mom scared so she sent you to your auntie and uncle's in bel air?
36 -- dude, it's the 10th largest firm in the country, and a Vault 100 firm (66th I think?). I'm not saying size = quality, but you sorta kinda should have heard of it.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/K%26L_Gates
Bu-bu-bu-but, who will I know who to throw rotten eggs at????
Reed Smith is also based in Pittsburgh.
30- That is what Shakespeare said about lawyers.
By the way, many of the demonstrators are aware that globalism; ie the devaluing of domestic labor; is an artificial environment constructed by lawyers to make themselves and a few others rich at the expense of our entire nation.
Patriots come in many colors; seemingly; lawyers do not.
Lawyers, Elie, should not be ones to yawn nowadays.
38 - Trolled or 39 - Trolled, either way a good trolling.
Pittsburgh is one city in which we did not have a gig canceled.
Elie, I'm sick and tired of your pro-business, right wing, corporatist bias. We were not all brought home from the hospital in a gleaming Mercedes to some wrap-around-driveway Long Island McMansion, and then catapulted into wealth by powerful parents and a Harvard education. Give a thought for people who care enough about the world to toss a trash can through a Gap store window.
33, you ignorant slut, that's what the tipster says.
who the f*** golfs in jeans??
46: rednecks from Pittsburgh
Ellie, trust fund hippies don't protest. they go to phish shows and then they go to law school.
Trust fund hippies attend Phish shows? Theyt are probably the only ones who can afford to pay scalpers' prices for tickets.
I wonder how a certain jackass financial services partner with a fetsih for suits feels about this new dress code.
I wonder how a certain jackass financial services partner with a fetish for suits feels about this new dress code.
Actually, 44, we care about the world enough to start throwing some lawyers through Gap store windows.
Or, throw them off cliffs, into walls, onto third rails; anything to get rid of them.
When one gets down to it, lawyers really are shitty human beings. They deserve the wrath of the commoners upon their inhuman little heads.