Happy Hour Popular With Law Firm and Accounting Workers

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Happy Hour Popular With Law Firm and Accounting Workers

Posted Jul 1, 2008, 12:21 pm CDT
By Debra Cassens Weiss

Updated: A new survey finds that people who work in law, accounting and financial services are the most likely to head to the bars after work.

The survey for CareerBuilder.com found that workers in legal and financial occupations were most likely to go to happy hour with co-workers, with about a third saying they go out for drinks after work hours, the Washington Post reports.

Legal and accounting workers were grouped together under the category of professional and business services, according to a spokeswoman for CareerBuilder.com.

In the professional services group, 87 percent said they attend happy hours to bond with co-workers, 28 percent go to network, and 19 percent want to hear office gossip.

Those who want to share gossip during the outings could find themselves a subject for discussion. In the professional services group, 5 percent said they ended up drinking too much and acting unprofessionally, 4 percent said they kissed a co-worker, and 5 percent said they sang karaoke.

Updated at 6:40 a.m. and 9:17 a.m. to include information provided to ABAJournal.com by CareerBuilder.com.

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Posted by MN - 3 months, 2 weeks, 8 hours, 22 minutes ago

This is possibly the most retarded article I have ever read in my life!!!! Must be a desperate week. Is there a point?
Posted by Drinktilyapuke - 3 months, 2 weeks, 7 hours, 4 minutes ago

It is a pretty silly article, but only because they failed to take the next step and correlate it with alcoholism amongst such professionals – something of great concern here in California where Substance Abuse education is required as part of our mandatory CLE. Would also be interesting to see if the current slumping economy and concerns about layoffs (other recent articles have stated that upwards of 30% of associates fear it near term) are causing increased attendance at “Happy Hours”. Perhaps it is actually reducing it out of fear of not getting what little work you have done and they are instead channeling their drinking into secret “in-office” nips?
Posted by MK - 3 months, 2 weeks, 7 hours, 3 minutes ago

This is a retarded article but sadly still true. Just my experience with summer associates at Milbank in NY has shown the importance the firms attach to drinking not to mention just the associates.
Posted by BJ - 3 months, 2 weeks, 6 hours, 15 minutes ago

True that MK. While budget issues have crimped some summer program largesse the “drinkers” are still a big part of the program. Either extended lunches at the local watering hole or BBQ or all day fun events such as “drinking while sailing” are still de rigueur. I’m also in California (with the above mentioned Substance Abuse CLE requirement) and it is ironic that drinking still is the number one “entertainment” value for the programs. It reminds me of my father who was an officer in the Air Force. Every night after work (only when he wasn’t flying as far as we knew) he and his buddies would hit the Officers’ Club for the incredible “10 Cent Happy Hour”. Put a Stack of Dimes on the Bar and leave drunk hours later. And then when I’d visit his offices as a kid, guess what kinds of flyers (Besides the ones about the horrors of V.D.) where everywhere. That’s right – The Dangers of Alcoholism.
Posted by LM - 3 months, 2 weeks, 6 hours, 13 minutes ago

Why is getting drinks after work sad MK? What’s sad is teetotalers like you who probably try to stay in the office even longer on Friday nights. That’s what’s sad about the legal profession.
Posted by Miranda Hobbes - 3 months, 2 weeks, 6 hours, 7 minutes ago

Thank you, Debra Cassens Weiss, for this distinished example of reporting. You illuminated a significant and complex subject, you demonstrated a mastery of the subject, lucid writing and clear presentation. You deserve a Pulitzer in Explanatory Reporting.
Posted by Jimathart - 3 months, 2 weeks, 5 hours, 54 minutes ago

Some attend to “network”, some to “bond” and some to hear office gossip. Don’t any just want a drink? Especially after a day of drudgery in such “stimulatuing” enterprise.
Posted by Jerry Falwell, II - 3 months, 2 weeks, 3 hours, 25 minutes ago

What is wrong with having a couple of cocktails after a hard day at work? I’ve been doing that since working at BigLaw in the early 90s and it was a great way to escape the office, hang out with other associates, meet other singles, and have fun. Just last week I met a couple of hedge fund employees at a bar and we struck up an interesting conversation and had a good time. All this proves is that smart professionals know how to work and play hard. And what better way to network while relaxing! Anyone up for drinks tonight???
Posted by S. Mark Edwards - 3 months, 1 week, 6 days, 2 hours, 43 minutes ago

Any social engagement after work tends to boost productivity, studies prove, during office hours, resulting from the repertoire created outside the office. A drink thrown in for good measure doesn’t seem so terrible in my book.
Posted by NAK - 3 months, 6 days, 22 hours, 10 minutes ago

I find the most interesting part fo the article in the last sentence. 5% said they drank too much, and 5% sang karaoke, but only 4% kissed a co-worker. Kind of all goes together I guess.

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