Biglaw, Small Law Firms, Solo Practitioners

Your Office Sucks And Is Costing You Business

New survey breaks down what clients want to see in a lawyer's office.

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messy office croppedHaving only worked at firms, I never had much control over the decorative scheme of the office. And what I did have control over — my personal office — was never seen by the clients that we’d shunt into conference rooms with sweeping views of New York Harbor or the Empire State Building.

That said, firm decor matters. Cahill used to boast notoriously awful offices until a complete overhaul brought it out of the worst excesses of the 1970s. While I’ve generally worked in attractive offices, in one memorable meeting, a client capped on the conference room table as “IKEA-looking.” I’m pretty sure that table’s been replaced, but it’s moments like those that make you realize how much clients notice — and are ready to judge you by — your surroundings.

But lawyers don’t think about office decor nearly enough. The National Law Review just put up an infographic about how ugly offices are costing lawyers business. It’s interesting data.

Survey1

When broken down by gender, everyone agrees that clutter is the worst, but while women think poorly presented staff is the second worst sin, men cite a lack of natural light. So much for the lawyer “man cave.” Meanwhile, broken down by age, the older set thinks poorly presented staff is the second biggest problem while outdated decor is the least important concern. Respondents aged 25-34 had the exact opposite take. I’ve written before about how younger clients not only have fewer fashion hangups, but actually may prefer a casual atmosphere so this isn’t surprising.

So clean up your office — or at least the area where clients will see you — and then take a long look at who you’re trying to entice. If you’re writing wills for senior citizens, be sure to dress up your staff and don’t worry about the shag carpet. If you’re working for tech entrepreneurs, make sure everyone’s wearing jeans and your office looks like the set of the Enterprise.

Just take the time to care about what image you’re conveying.

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Is Your Ugly Office Costing Your Law Firm Business? [National Law Review]

HeadshotJoe Patrice is an editor at Above the Law and co-host of Thinking Like A Lawyer. Feel free to email any tips, questions, or comments. Follow him on Twitter if you’re interested in law, politics, and a healthy dose of college sports news.

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