Work and Friends, Friends at Work?

Most of the law-related blogs I visit deal with a variety of issues, from legal stuff, to work stuff, to relationships, to random stuff, to entertainment news… but it’s oddly rare to find one that actually pauses to look at the interpersonal side of things at the office from a non-satirical standpoint. In that vein, I thought this was an interesting post.

Working friends

I work in a firm that I think is the perfect size socially. With about 20 attorneys and slightly more support staff, you know everyone. In a larger firm, not only is it less likely you would know everyone, but I think it could make it harder to develop relationships because you might casually know so many people, but few of them well. I would guess that within departments and within classes of associates, groups form, but that might make it that much harder to really get to know anyone beyond those groups. At least you have a wide selection of people to get to know. In a firm the size of mine, you have no choice but to get to know everyone at least a little. But there are just enough people that you don’t have to like them all. With a firm of only a few attorneys, one person you clash with could make work miserable. Plus, in a smaller environment you might be more sensitive to personality issues that are less obvious when you don’t work as closely with the exact same people every single day.

My point is that, regardless of size, it seems like a challenge to really get to know the people you work with in a law firm. Everyone works so hard that they are a little oblivious to interpersonal relationships, and the energy they do have for that they put towards their non-work relationships. I can’t help but think that the work environment will improve though if people know and like each other as individuals too, not just as colleagues.

The reason I’m thinking about this is that I’m on my way to a charity event that it took tremendous effort to get people to participate in. Lots of people acted interested, but most of them backed out. Still, I am confident that the people who are there today will have a good time and that will filter back to everyone else. Hopefully I will have less trouble recruiting next time. I get the impression I do a better job than has been done in the past, probably because I am so genuinely excited to do all the things I plan. I have to say, happy hour is always an easier sell than an actual activity. But it’s important to me to have variety, since people have different interests and it allows us to interact in different ways. I’m not looking for a new best friend at work; I just want to feel like I work with friends.

Source: Law vs. Life

Labels: anecdotes and opinions, lawyer stuff, think-abouts, work