What Are the Weirdest Law Office Amenities?
'Weird' is a relative term when it comes to law office amenities.
For a law firm courting Silicon Valley startups, for example, an in-office volleyball court would be completely normal. At a traditional Wall Street firm, not so much.
Whatever your firm prefers, it's about feeling comfortable in your own skin. Here are a few unusual amenities, including some that might make your skin crawl.
Comfort in Your Skin
New York attorney John Lenoir loves his office, which is literally on the water. It's a yacht.
Amenities include topside decks, portholes below, and a great view of the harbor. Visitors don't complain, except if they get seasick or books fall off the shelves.
"Every time we go out sailing, I have to stow everything," Lenoir says.
It's not really weird. Whether you offer a harbor cruise, virtual driving range, ping-pong or video games, it's about enjoying your workspace with colleagues and clients.
Impress or Success?
It's an old-school adage to "dress for success," and it applies to office space. Law firms have long tried to impress clients with fancy digs.
Some will do it even at the expense of worker comfort. The Wall Street Journal reported that firms splurged on amenities while cutting back on office space for lawyers.
Tricked-out technology, event halls, and wine bars may seem a little weird to some clients, however. "Who is paying for all this?" they may wonder.
"The law firms who believe in-house counsel want to see them with marble tables and cappuccinos made to order are really fooling themselves," said Veta Richardson of the Association of Corporate Counsel.
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