Austin criminal defense lawyer Jamie Spencer asks a question that has always bothered me as well. Why do solo practitioners answer the phones, put on signs and letterhead, that they are “law offices?” If you are one person, with one office, does it make you feel bigger and better to pretend that there are more of you?
I remember a post by Bennett (of the Houston Bennetts) about some lawyer down in the Republic of Texas who pretended to have a dozen offices (link to be added when Bennett finds it for me) as if he was some major player. Instead, he just looked goofy and disreputable. Why exaggerate? Granted, this guy’s attempt to feign importance was borderline pathologic, but perfectly fine lawyers who have solid reputations and provide excellent services also play the game, albeit to a lesser extent.
I’m a solo. I have an office. I do not have offices, although at the moment I am operating out of my Palm Springs office (but for the fact that I’m not admitted to practice here), and yet I will not pretend that this is anything more than a transitory stop in my career. When I leave, I will still have but one office. And that’s good enough for me. No, not good enough, but perfect. It is what I am. I am a lawyer with one office, and damn proud of it.
So why do my brethren feel diminished by having only one office. Why do they feel that presenting the appearance of being bigger and grander than they are makes them bigger and grander. As Jamie points out, clients want your services, not the services of some unknown, unseen elf in the backroom. Tell them that you will be performing all work on their behalf and they’re happy. That’s what they want from you. So it does you no harm to admit the truth.
When asked for the name of my law firm, I give my name. When the quizzical look comes over people’s faces, wondering what happened to the 5 other names they expect to have strung on the end, I explain that it’s just me. I do not do so with shame or guilt. I do not justify why I practice alone. And I never try to give the appearance that there are more of me than there are. I’m a solo. And I’m good with that.
So why do others claim to have “law offices” and they don’t?
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Seems as if you answered your own question.
I dunno. I think it’s silly, bordering on deceptive, but maybe someone can give me a reasonable explanation. Or at least a palatable explanation.
I have a lot of disdain for the lawyers who toe the line of fraud in order to sell themselves. If people think I’m a bit harsh now, they would be shocked if some of my more private thoughts hit the screen. There are a few pretenders in the blawgosphere that make me want to puke, putting out credentials that are wholesale lies and hoping that no one will notice that they are absolute lying scum.
The “law offices” issue doesn’t fall into the category of serious fraud, being substantially more benign and meaningless than other quasi-misleading claims, and being readily recognizable as slightly hyperbolic. Still, I respect some of the people who do it, and I would really like to understand what they’re thinking. I want to know why lawyers who would never otherwise lie will name their practice “law offices” when the whole place is 8 by 10. Why?
I have a number of offices and a number of associates. I also have a small dick. Any other questions?
Norm
Nope. Thanks for sharing.
In addition to the Law Offices of So & So, another peeve: the solo who goes by So & So and Associates.
YES, YES, YES! Excellent point.
A solo can legitimately have two offices in different counties for the convenience of clients. Even if the second office is little more than a shared conference room, it might make sense if you are doing enough business in that county. (I have just one, by the way.)
The bigger problem, I think, is the lawyer that puts on the letterhead “and associates” when there are no associates.
I’m the Law Office of Timothy J. Evans as opposed to “the law Offices.” I liked the sound of it better than “my name, PA,” but didn’t like “the law offices.”
If that makes me pretentious, so be it.
RE: I’m the Law Office of Timothy J. Evans
Why not just advertise as Timothy Evans?
and Norm Pattis could have tried one of those penile enlargers that are advertised in the constant stream of emails. If it’s good enough for Norm, it’s good enough for me.
And you fail to address the issue, when there is one office but the letterhead says “Law Offices of…” If there are two offices, then there is no issue. But I suspect that there are rarely two offices.
RE: But I suspect that there are rarely two offices.
What about when a small firm rents one space, and that space has a reception area, several offices (and a conference room)?
Perhaps these solo lawyers are planning (/hoping) to have more offices overflowing with associates down the road, so they are picking a name they can “grow into” (like an oversized snowsuit) with the thought they can save money by not needing to update letterhead, business cards, etc., in the future?
In other words, a “build it and they will come” naming strategy.
If you want a name you can grow into, you can call yourself The Jones Law Firm. Unless your name is Smith, of course.
Using that type of name (which is the way I do it) allows for growth and the use of part time help when full time help isn’t in the budget yet.
I never like “The Law Office Of…” and Law Offices is even worse since it is often misleading.
I think the best options for solos are:
Joe Jones, Attorney at Law
Joe Jones, Esq.
The Jones Law Firm
From this remove, it sends at least three messages (for a solo practitioner; it’s obviously different for a firm with bunches of lawyers):
1. “Whatever your legal problems are, if you’re near one of the places I have an office, a long drive to meet me isn’t necessarily among them.”
2. “My firm is so large that one suite of offices can’t contain it.”
3. “My ego is so large that one suite of offices can’t contain it.”
I don’t see any problem at all with #1.
“Esq.” is an honorific that a lawyer should never apply to himself, and “attorney at law” is just a fancipants way to say “lawyer.”
I like “Joe Jones, Lawyer”.
Here’s the link for the guy with “14 Satellite Offices“:
Thanks for the link, TT. As for titles, I prefer my clients to call me “Greenfield”. The rest is largely superfluous. But there are two things I don’t have, “offices” and “associates”. I had them years ago and didn’t like either very much.
If number 1 is accurate, then it wouldn’t be inappropriate to say you have “offices”, since you actually have offices (unless you just happen to luck into the one office being close by). Truth is a defense.
I like it best when people name their firm The Top Gun Law Firm (yes, this is a real firm doing DUI stuff here in SoCal). If I went private, I think I’d try to adopt this strategy, but take a queue from the street gangs as well (my two favorite: FTL – Fuck the Law and KPC – Krazy Proud Criminals) and name my firm something like Lee and the Fucking Awesome System Annihilators.
No, that doesn’t sound professional.
What about The Law Offices of Lee and the Fucking Awesome System Annihlators…and Associates.
Yes. Who knows where I can get business cards?
Sounds like a punk rock band to me.
Perhaps it derives from the meaning of the word “offices” as “services”? Ever heard the request “use your good offices to assist in this venture”?
Perhaps. It’s a phrase beloved by Nigerian lottery winners.
This is the way I have always written the first paragraph of motions, to avoid the affectation:
“I am an attorney licensed to practice before the Courts of the State of New York with an office in the Town of Somerset, New York. …”
Just “an office?” You must be some small potatos hick netherlands lawyer since you don’t have offices or associates.
That’s what all the small potatos hick netherlands judges think when they read my stuff.
“Esq.” is an honorific that a lawyer should never apply to himself, and “attorney at law” is just a fancipants way to say “lawyer.”
I like “Joe Jones, Lawyer”.
There is a difference between letterhead and the signature line. The signature line, I agree, should not say Esq. But the letterhead needs to identify the business in some way, and in that regard there is little difference between Esq., attorney or lawyer.
Turk, bear in mind that conventions differ from place to place. Bennett’s not from the United States. He’s from Texas. They do things differently there.
And I leave out “duly.” More clutter.