Contests

ATL Holiday Card Contest: The Finalists! (2017)

Which of these law firm holiday cards is the best of 2017? Cast your vote!

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It’s officially winter, and with Hanukkah behind us, Christmas nearly upon us, and everyone in the legal profession ready to ring in the New Year, it’s time to reveal the nine finalists for our ninth annual holiday card contest. But first let’s give shout-outs to some honorable mentions (click on each firm’s name to see its card):

1. Harness Dickey: A holiday card from an intellectual property firm that’s filled with the patents of your favorite holiday elements, from a wreath to a menorah to sleigh bells to a Christmas tree. This was a very well-executed card, and it’ll remind its viewers that IP lawyers have always made the holiday season a success.

2. Mayers Nave: From the nominator: “Wow! An unexpected, clever and creative idea to capture the national zeitgeist in a memorable and upbeat way. A prize for really feeling the firm’s culture in this card.” And from another fan of this firm’s card: “Great example of a card with a thought-provoking message that is not overwhelmed by an overproduced card. Congrats to a small firm with a big heart.”

And now, the nine finalists, in alphabetical order. Again, click on each firm’s name to view its card. Please note that most of these cards have SOUND, so you might want to turn your sound off or down, or use headphones. Explanatory comments come from firm representatives unless otherwise indicated.

1. Day Ketterer: This card is absolutely awesome. According to the firm’s client services and development manager, “This year’s theme has Santa in peril, unable to deliver presents, and in need of legal intervention. Mixed in, you’ll find tongue-in-cheek political references, a nod to Twitter, and some outstanding teamwork from the Day Ketterer legal team.” We’ll predict right now that the number of votes this card receives will be YUGE — and might very well win the popular vote.

2. Goodman Allen Donnelly: This card — the very first e-card the firm has ever made — features original artwork created by Michael Goodman, one of the firm’s founding partners. The firm’s marketing director says the firm usually tries to avoid being politically correct, but this time around, “politics being what it is, we played it slightly safer.” A very cute card from a very talented partner. Nice work!

3. Larson King: This is the fourth time that Larson King has been featured as a finalist in our holiday card contest. Maybe the fourth time will be the charm for this St. Paul-based litigation boutique? All the illustrations in this card were hand-drawn and then animated. Did you notice the cartoon drummer with the mullet? Yeah, he’s based on one of the firm’s partners. Plus, any firm that can sing its own name repeatedly without it getting annoying is worthy of a vote from our readers.

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4. Parry & Pfau: From the nominator: “Parry and Pfau demonstrates how you can incorporate It’s a Wonderful Life, The Terminator, and one other subtle movie reference into a fun little Christmas video that appeals to everyone.” You’re going to have to invest more than .1 in watching this e-card, but trust us, it’s worth it.

5. Phillips Murrah: This is a very lawyerly holiday card in that you simply must read the fine print if you’d like to have yourself a laugh. Pause the video, because there in the fine print, you’ll find a 12-Day Gifting Disclosure that’s full of technical considerations from the delivery of gifts to the preservation of the rights of pipers, lords, and maids. As an added benefit, this part of the card is read super-duper quickly, just like an old-school automobile dealer ad.

6. Schwabe Williamson & Wyatt: Who doesn’t love Where’s Waldo? In this case, it’s Where’s Schwabe? You’ll have three minutes to find everything in this firm’s little video game. A very creative and cute idea! “It’s the most wonderful game of the year!”

7. Sutliff & Stout: Yet another fun card that focuses on the fine print. Partner Hank Stout says, “This year we are having a little fun with Big Pharma. Hope you enjoy the card and, by all means, please abide by the ‘fine print.'” Sutliff & Stout is a former finalist that was in the honorable mentions last year. Will it finally win?

8. Wolf Greenfield: This firm nearly won our holiday card contest in 2016 and stole the show in 2015 with its Rube Goldberg machines. This year, the firm has scaled back and created a stop-motion animation that features a little inventor whose creation comes to life at night. “It’s an ode to our clients, many of whom are inventors who started their careers tinkering in their garages. As intellectual property attorneys and technology specialists with science and technology PhDs, many of us are also tinkerers, and we got into this business because we love to help inventors take something old and make it new again.” (Truth be told, Wolf Greenfield’s card earned its way into the finals this year because I showed it to my son, and he approved of it with a very high-pitched squeal of glee.)

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9. Young, Minney & Corr: This firm supports charter schools and the teachers and administrators who work there, so of course their holiday card is about — you guessed it — a charter school. Name partner Jim Young says, “At YM&C we believe that every child should have the opportunity to receive an amazing education. This holiday card demonstrates the kind of fairy tale endings that our clients work tirelessly to provide to children throughout the United States. We are proud to work with such great educators and administrators who make students’ dreams come true, and our graphic card is meant to thank them for doing truly important work.”

Now it’s time for our audience to vote. We’ll keep the polls open through MONDAY, JANUARY 1, 2018, at 11:59 p.m. (Eastern time). This gives you ample time to campaign for your pick over the holidays (but please, please, please don’t cheat).

Thanks to all the entrants and nominators, good luck to the finalists, and happy holidays to everyone! We hope you have a wonderful long weekend!

Which law firm has the best holiday card for 2017?

  • Wolf Greenfield (24%, 963 Votes)
  • Parry & Pfau (23%, 949 Votes)
  • Young, Minney & Corr (16%, 650 Votes)
  • Day Ketterer (12%, 467 Votes)
  • Sutliff & Stout (9%, 384 Votes)
  • Goodman Allen Donnelly (7%, 275 Votes)
  • Phillips Murrah (4%, 143 Votes)
  • Schwabe Williamson & Wyatt (3%, 139 Votes)
  • Larson King (2%, 86 Votes)

Total Voters: 4,056

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Staci ZaretskyStaci Zaretsky has been an editor at Above the Law since 2011. She’d love to hear from you, so please feel free to email her with any tips, questions, comments, or critiques. You can follow her on Twitter or connect with her on LinkedIn.

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