ATL Holiday Card Contest: The Finalists! (2024)
Which of these law firm holiday cards is the best of 2024? Cast your vote!
Hanukkah and Christmas are nearly upon us, and everyone in the legal profession is ready to ring in the New Year, so it’s finally time to reveal the seven finalists for our sixteenth 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. Armond Wilson: Behold, another holiday blockbuster card from the nation’s 4th best law firm in Patent Office litigation, per Patexia. In this Home Alone-inspired hit, our nominator behooves you to “Keep some claims, ya filthy animal!”
2. Diaz Trade Law: “No one has more fun asking CBP to forgive a client for not paying $40M in duties over 10 years than Diaz Trade Law,” says our nominator. “And with 47 federal agencies involved in regulating imports of goods into the United States, DTL truly means it when they say then untangle regulations.”
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3. Shaw Keller: Happy holidays, from your lawyers’ pets! This card features paintings of all manner of pets, up to and including a bird and a horse. “We allowed one posthumous pet because otherwise one of our associates would have had a plastic plant,” says our nominator.
And now, the seven 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 indicated.
1. Butler Snow: “This year, we decided to take another compelling look at lawyers over-lawyering seemingly simple things. Admittedly, it’s a bit of an extension of our award winning 2023 holiday card. But if it’s not broke, don’t fix it, right?” Yet another excellent submission from lawyers who can’t help themselves but to over-lawyer everything. Our favorite part was when of them said they should stitch a suggested holiday greeting disclaimer on a sweater — “This holiday greeting is for informational purposes only. It does not constitute an offer, promise, or guarantee of any kind. Peace, love, and joy are subjective, and experiences may vary.” — and they actually did! (By the way, where can we get that sweater?)
2. Cades Schutte: A truly wonderful holiday card that shares the “spirit of aloha,” straight from the Hawaiian islands. Our nominator says, “We feature our client, Furukawa Living Treasure, a beloved senior community in Honolulu, that was about to be shut down due to permitting issues. Through their tenacity and strong will, they survived and are now celebrating their 25th anniversary. Our attorneys were honored to join Furukawa’s anniversary festivities and make origami aloha shirt crafts with the kupuna (seniors) of the community.” This one made us feel happy — how very sweet!
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3. Davis Wright Tremaine: The firm’s “in-house creative team, Studio DWT, proudly presents a delightful 3D animated holiday video set in a whimsical gingerbread ski lodge and resort. This festive video celebrates the sweet moments that inspire us, connect us, and make our shared successes possible. Studio DWT’s expert storytellers and film producers have brought their unique vision to life, delivering a heartfelt message of warmth and joy for the season.” This one is a real work of creative art. Nice job!
4. Harness IP: “Our video holiday card stands out with its unique blend of history, creativity, and holiday cheer. By showcasing historic patents on sleigh bells, we bring a fun twist to a timeless holiday tradition,” says our nominator. “The whimsical elf band adds an extra layer of charm, turning the story behind these classic inventions into an engaging musical celebration. This delightful mix of educational and festive elements creates a captivating narrative that connects the past and present, making it both entertaining and meaningful. It’s not just a card—it’s an experience that captures the spirit of innovation and joy that defines the holiday season!” This holiday card has everything you could possibly want — and you can even download an app to turn your phone into a set of sleigh bells each time you move it! Absolutely amazing!
5. Larson • King: This firm knows that Above the Law editors are suckers for law revue videos, and this is simply the best. The 11-time holiday card contest finalist really stole the show with this submission. From our nominator: “Our 2024 greeting highlights Minnesotans’ love of music by featuring assorted parodies of throw-back tunes with a legal twist. Take a blast into the past by listening to hits such as We Be Billin’ (Run-D.M.C’s You Be Illin’), Don’t Stop Appealin’ (Journey’s Don’t Stop Believin’), Material Witness (Madonna’s Material Girl), and Brief It (Michael Jackson’s Beat It). Also included is Minnesota’s own Prince, featuring I Wanna Be Your Lawyer (a parody of I Wanna Be Your Lover). The songs were custom-created for this video by a local Minneapolis musician and vocalist.” We’d definitely pay the low, low price of $9.99 for all of these tunes! We LOVED this one!
6. McBrayer: A hilarious take on the Ebenezer Scrooge story, featuring Bob Cratchit as a “former abused clerk/new partner.” This lawyerly view of the Christmas classic had us cracking up. From our nominator: “We like to think that we could have helped famous miser Ebenezer Scrooge find the right path in life without supernatural intervention. Here’s our take on how, with McBrayer attorneys playing the roles of famous Dickens characters or simply themselves. We’re biased, but our Scrooge may be one of the better ones committed to screen.”
7. Morse: From our nominator: “This year we decided to really showcase the ‘human side’ of our team by presenting their many creative talents in a printable, shareable, and downloadable e-book full of crafty DIY projects and gift options! The Morse team has been finding creative solutions to legal issues for more than 30 years, but did you know we can also make a mean batch of holiday dog cookies, whip up some super cute snowman bath bombs, or decoupage a favorite piece of furniture?? But of course, when it comes to your legal needs, don’t do it yourself! Call us. 😉” Wow! This e-book looks like it could actually be very helpful for those who need to entertain elementary school students who are home during winter break. Looking forward to creating homemade cookie mason jars, sugar scrub sand art, and playdough thanks to Morse!
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Now it’s time for our audience to vote. We’ll keep the polls open through TUESDAY, DECEMBER 31, 2021, at 11:30 p.m. (Eastern time). This gives you ample time to campaign for your pick over the holidays (but please, don’t cheat).
Thanks to all the entrants and nominators, good luck to the finalists, and happy holidays to all! Above the Law is happy to celebrate holiday cheer with you!
Staci Zaretsky is a senior editor at Above the Law, where she’s worked 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 Bluesky, X/Twitter, and Threads, or connect with her on LinkedIn.
