Question of the Week
Will You Be Working the Day After Thanksgiving?
Posted Nov 24, 2008 10:32 AM CST
By Molly McDonough
Thanksgiving is one of the busiest travel periods of the year, with millions of Americans loading up and visiting family and friends to break bread and, well, give thanks. But we know that lawyers have very little time to spare.
This made us wonder about your plans this week.
So tell us ...
Will you and your co-workers take a full four-day weekend? Or will you be booting up and working the day after (or day of) the Thanksgiving holiday?
Share your answer in the comments section below.
Read last week's question and handful of answers about law firm holiday parties.
Our favorite answer from last week:
Posted by CR: "Our small firm will give bonuses to associates and staff this year that are slightly more than last year. We also have not laid off any of our RE staff, even though the RE work has plummeted. After much discussion, we agreed that the partners could 'take the hit,' income wise, to avoid more economic harm to our employees than they’ve already suffered at the hands of this economy. We hope we will be able to do the same next year, but it’s anybody’s guess at this point."
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Comments
Lisa C. Cothron
Nov 24, 2008 6:54 PM CST
I will be working the day after Thanksgiving: my eleven year old will be with her dad, and I will work.
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JD
Nov 24, 2008 7:37 PM CST
I’ll be working the day after Thanksgiving - albeit from home. The idea of four days weekends is nice, but losing that much time away from work/billables will hurt too much in the long run.
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Robin Littlefield
Nov 24, 2008 9:49 PM CST
This may sound corny, but I’ll probably spend the time on soul searching. I’ve started my own solo practice, and this will be a good time to focus on my goals and priorities for exactly what kind of service I want to provide. Perhaps spending time with my family and talking things over with them—particularly when the focus of the holiday is gratitude—will help to clarify things.
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Tom Bolt
Nov 25, 2008 4:13 AM CST
Our firm will continue its tradition of spending the day after Thanksgiving with family.
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Pierre Emmanuel Almonacy
Nov 25, 2008 4:54 AM CST
I will not be working the day after thanksgiving. As a solo practitioner, it is very difficult to take vacations. I take advantage of long weekends such as thanksgiving to spend time with family.
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associate
Nov 25, 2008 5:05 AM CST
Since I’ve worked every other weekend this month, let’s hope not! But no one can predict the kinds of “emergencies” that will come from certain partners at 7pm Wednesday.
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LMD
Nov 25, 2008 6:37 AM CST
Absolutely not! If I don’t take advantage of the few opportunities I get to have some rest and relaxation away from work, I cheat myself and my clients as well as my family. I try very hard to make sure that I keep up with my work obligations enough during the hours that I do work, so that I can afford to take an extra work day off everyso often.
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JeffW
Nov 25, 2008 6:57 AM CST
I and most of my co-workers will be off of work—4 day weekend. I will be using the time to search for a new job though, as mine ends in Fall of next year.
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Wesley Newhouse
Nov 25, 2008 7:14 AM CST
Our office will be closed so that the staff can have a well-deserved rest. I plan on working remotely on line on Thanksgiving Day for an hour or two to catch up on old e-mails, and will probably bring some work home to work a couple of hpurs each of the other days. Justice is hard work.
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Steve Gardner
Nov 25, 2008 7:18 AM CST
After getting up at 4 am to go to a store for Black Friday, I figure I might as well go into the office, since I can put in a full day by lunchtime. Well, not a full day, but 8 hours.
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Kay Anderson
Nov 25, 2008 7:22 AM CST
OF course I will be working.
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MH
Nov 25, 2008 7:26 AM CST
Our office is closed on the day after Thanksgiving, and I will be spending the day with my family. I have not had a day off that didn’t involve a sick child since the spring, so it is definitely time.
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Government Lawyer
Nov 25, 2008 7:27 AM CST
The day after Thanksgiving is the best day to work. The clients all will be home, which will give me an entire day to accomplish things without distractions.
IMHO, sure beats going to the mall and spending the money I don’t have. YMMV.
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Dan
Nov 25, 2008 7:34 AM CST
This is my first Thanksgiving since graduating law school, and I’m glad to see not all of the workaholic horror stories I heard are true - our firm, like many others apparently, is closed.
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Glendenning
Nov 25, 2008 7:47 AM CST
In 20 years of practicing law I have never worked the Friday after Thanksgiving. Life is short and being with your family an extra day should be an easy choice. Don’t go in to work out of fear.
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HACB
Nov 25, 2008 7:50 AM CST
My firm is open for business. My husband’s law firm is closed. I take a vacation day to spend with my husband and family.
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Michael
Nov 25, 2008 7:51 AM CST
I’m in a new job and probably should work Friday and Saturday. But I don’t get to see my kids, so I’m going to try to work from a remote, undisclosed location. That will require more discipline than I’ve ever had, though.
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JAF
Nov 25, 2008 7:53 AM CST
No, I will not be working the day after Thanksgiving. To date 2008 has been a hellacious year. Although my office is closed I’m sure that there is an expectation that the in-house attorneys will work on Friday from home but I resolve that I am going to resist. I need the rest from work. Besides, due to the incredible work load I’ve been neglecting things at home so although I won’t be working, I will be doing things.
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NO Work
Nov 25, 2008 7:56 AM CST
I will not be working. Our office is closed. Any law firm that makes its lawyers work the day after Thanksgiving is a dump and not worth working for.
Sucks to be you!!!!!
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New Litigator
Nov 25, 2008 8:07 AM CST
I will not be working. I’m a new associate, so I don’t have to start billing until 1/1/09, the firm is closed anyway.
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Mid size associate
Nov 25, 2008 8:15 AM CST
I will not be working the day after Thanksgiving. I will however be working the day after the day after Thanksgiving. As I work every other Saturday… <sigh>
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Robin
Nov 25, 2008 8:23 AM CST
Thankfully the tribe that I work for recognizes the importance of family. We get a much deserved break and get paid for the day before, Thanksgiving Day, and the day after. Love tribal government!
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Gator76
Nov 25, 2008 8:23 AM CST
I’ll be doing the same as this writer, “After getting up at 4 am to go to a store for Black Friday, I figure I might as well go into the office, since I can put in a full day by lunchtime. Well, not a full day, but 8 hours.”
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Andy Stanford
Nov 25, 2008 8:28 AM CST
No way ! I have never worked, or required my staff to work, the Friday after Thanksgiving. Thanksgiving is a wonderful 4 day hoilday that makes for a great break from day to day practice and is a great time to be thankful for the benefits that our hard work bestows upon us.
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Marc LeBlanc
Nov 25, 2008 8:35 AM CST
I will be out in that kitchen washiing them pots and pans.
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RM
Nov 25, 2008 8:52 AM CST
Yes. Our federal government agency requires that at least 2 people in each section be on duty every day that the government is open. I’d rather save the vacation day for another time and be one of the 2 here.
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JH
Nov 25, 2008 8:59 AM CST
When I decided to leave the big firm, go in-house at a non-profit and take the big pay cut, I thought I would be getting a more normal life. And I have, to some extent. I won’t be working on Friday, and I may not even bring my laptop for potential emergencies, but I probably will work on Sunday, as I do most weeks.
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Solo
Nov 25, 2008 9:00 AM CST
I’m not going in. The nice thing about a solo practice is setting your own hours. While a few of my clients have my cell phone number and could call me Friday (or Thursday), turning the blasted thing off prevents these interruptions.
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DRT
Nov 25, 2008 9:01 AM CST
I’ll be working. In a market where work is scarce to come by (corp & sec), I feel the need to provide billables whenever I can. I think its important to show the powers that be that I am billing whenever I can.
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DFM
Nov 25, 2008 9:11 AM CST
I’ll be using the quiet time at home to reflect on firm management and client development ideas, albeit in front of a fire with a drink in my hand.
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Kasey
Nov 25, 2008 9:12 AM CST
The company for which I am an in-house attorney is closed and I will be out of town spending time with family. I am very fortunate to work for a company that is very family-oriented and recognizes the importance of life away from the office. However, I will be taking my laptop and blackberry and have already extended to an opposing counsel the offer to do a conference call on Friday if necessary. So, while I will not be going into the office, I will be making myself available to catch any emergencies or issues that pop up.
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Older Guy
Nov 25, 2008 9:13 AM CST
The question for BIGLAW drones is: Will you be working the day OF Thanksgiving?
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DB Himmelreich
Nov 25, 2008 9:15 AM CST
I will be working Friday after Thanksgiving. It is a wonderful time in the office, as there are no phones or other interruptions. I can get some real work done!
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Dawn
Nov 25, 2008 9:16 AM CST
i will not be working. i have not had a day off since april (for a funeral), and have worked almost every single weekend this year. so i need an extra day.
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Gail S. Stephenson
Nov 25, 2008 9:32 AM CST
I’m a legal writing professor, and my students turn in their final memos today. I plan to start grading the memos on Friday.
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robert chapin
Nov 25, 2008 9:49 AM CST
Always closed that Friday. Instead the office is open and fully staffed on Columbus day and Veterans’ day and MLK day.
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Jen
Nov 25, 2008 9:56 AM CST
Off day after Thanksgiving - I’ve only been off 7 days this year - time to be with family and bake holiday cookies.
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CPa
Nov 25, 2008 10:01 AM CST
I’ll leave two hours early… in this economy, recently hired law graduates can’t afford to slack off!
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RAH
Nov 25, 2008 10:17 AM CST
I will be working on Friday (and, as usual, half a day Saturday) but I have given my staff Friday off, as is my custom. But when I shut the door behind me, the productivity goes to zero and times are too tough to lose a day. Some, but not all, of my clients will be working Friday, as well.
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CaliGirl
Nov 25, 2008 10:20 AM CST
The office is officially “closed”, but when you have a key, is it ever really closed? And then there’s always logging on from home…. It’s been a rough year, and I need to make sure I hit my billables goal—no point in making myself a layoff target for not meeting my goal. So yes, I will be using my key to let myself into the office on Friday. And probably Saturday, and maybe Sunday, too.
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Dan
Nov 25, 2008 10:30 AM CST
Although Friday it is a day ending in Y (and I work most days ending in Y), I will not be working the day after Thanksgiving. Rather, I will join a client and his grandson and take my daughter to the Nebraska/Colorado football game, enjoy a lovely day together, and continue to have reason to give thanks during these turbulent and stressful times. If I don’t do this; then, what do I work for?
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nlogan
Nov 25, 2008 10:30 AM CST
Yes, I’ll be working the day after Thanksgiving. I’m a government lawyer representing Child Protective Services - and that’s a client that doesn’t stop working during holidays. We do maintain minimal staffing for this and other holiday weekends so colleagues and staff can spend time with their families. When I had my own practice, I gave my staff the day off but always used the day for “catch-up” work.
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Eternaclerk
Nov 25, 2008 10:35 AM CST
The courthouse is open, so I’ll be there.
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D Smith
Nov 25, 2008 10:37 AM CST
I’m a solo, have a brief due Monday. The after-shock of TX tort reform in 2003 gutted my financial cushion. I’ve retooled, yet now times and Hurricane Ike have caused some of my usually prompt-paying clients to be slow pay. Yep, I’m working Friday, Saturday, AND Sunday . . . .
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Ken
Nov 25, 2008 11:00 AM CST
I will work on the Friday after Thanksgiving until 2 pm, so I have just enough time to get home and watch Nebraska v Colorado football game. the next day, i will be back in the office.
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Paul
Nov 25, 2008 11:04 AM CST
I will have my laptop with me when I’m travelling. I can get just about anything I need to do done that way. I’ll probably be working some each day over the weekend, but not all day on any day.
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R
Nov 25, 2008 11:16 AM CST
NO!
(That’s lawyers for you: it took 47 of them responding before one could FINALLY respond to a simple yes/no question with a simple yes or no!)
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Doug`
Nov 25, 2008 11:25 AM CST
Oh, the joys of working for local Government. I would probably get fired for wasting electricity if I tried to come in on Friday. Its job security and promised days off in exchange for a promised salary, great benifits and no billable pressures. Those of you working on Friday should look for a good government job!
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William Stanley Daniel
Nov 25, 2008 11:31 AM CST
I certainly will be working that day, and much
more productively than usual, since the phones
won’t be ringing off the hook on a Holiday.
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Anne
Nov 25, 2008 2:40 PM CST
No. One of the perks of being in-house is there’s no billable hour pressure. I still work 10 to 12 hours on weekdays, but my weekends and holidays are usually free.
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