Will You Be Working the Day After Thanksgiving?

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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Posted by Lisa C. Cothron - 1 month, 2 weeks, 7 hours, 56 minutes ago

I will be working the day after Thanksgiving: my eleven year old will be with her dad, and I will work.
Posted by JD - 1 month, 2 weeks, 7 hours, 14 minutes ago

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.
Posted by Robin Littlefield - 1 month, 2 weeks, 5 hours, 2 minutes ago

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.
Posted by Tom Bolt - 1 month, 1 week, 6 days, 22 hours, 37 minutes ago

Our firm will continue its tradition of spending the day after Thanksgiving with family.
Posted by Pierre Emmanuel Almonacy - 1 month, 1 week, 6 days, 21 hours, 57 minutes ago

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.
Posted by associate - 1 month, 1 week, 6 days, 21 hours, 46 minutes ago

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.
Posted by LMD - 1 month, 1 week, 6 days, 20 hours, 14 minutes ago

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.
Posted by JeffW - 1 month, 1 week, 6 days, 19 hours, 54 minutes ago

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.
Posted by Wesley Newhouse - 1 month, 1 week, 6 days, 19 hours, 37 minutes ago

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.
Posted by Steve Gardner - 1 month, 1 week, 6 days, 19 hours, 33 minutes ago

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.
Posted by Kay Anderson - 1 month, 1 week, 6 days, 19 hours, 28 minutes ago

OF course I will be working.
Posted by MH - 1 month, 1 week, 6 days, 19 hours, 25 minutes ago

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.
Posted by Government Lawyer - 1 month, 1 week, 6 days, 19 hours, 24 minutes ago

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.
Posted by Dan - 1 month, 1 week, 6 days, 19 hours, 17 minutes ago

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.
Posted by Glendenning - 1 month, 1 week, 6 days, 19 hours, 4 minutes ago

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.
Posted by HACB - 1 month, 1 week, 6 days, 19 hours ago

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.
Posted by Michael - 1 month, 1 week, 6 days, 19 hours ago

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.
Posted by JAF - 1 month, 1 week, 6 days, 18 hours, 58 minutes ago

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.
Posted by NO Work - 1 month, 1 week, 6 days, 18 hours, 55 minutes ago

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!!!!!
Posted by New Litigator - 1 month, 1 week, 6 days, 18 hours, 44 minutes ago

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.
Posted by Mid size associate - 1 month, 1 week, 6 days, 18 hours, 36 minutes ago

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>
Posted by Robin - 1 month, 1 week, 6 days, 18 hours, 28 minutes ago

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!
Posted by Gator76 - 1 month, 1 week, 6 days, 18 hours, 28 minutes ago

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.”
Posted by Andy Stanford - 1 month, 1 week, 6 days, 18 hours, 23 minutes ago

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.
Posted by Marc LeBlanc - 1 month, 1 week, 6 days, 18 hours, 16 minutes ago

I will be out in that kitchen washiing them pots and pans.
Posted by RM - 1 month, 1 week, 6 days, 17 hours, 59 minutes ago

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.
Posted by JH - 1 month, 1 week, 6 days, 17 hours, 52 minutes ago

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.
Posted by Solo - 1 month, 1 week, 6 days, 17 hours, 51 minutes ago

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.
Posted by DRT - 1 month, 1 week, 6 days, 17 hours, 50 minutes ago

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.
Posted by DFM - 1 month, 1 week, 6 days, 17 hours, 39 minutes ago

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.
Posted by Kasey - 1 month, 1 week, 6 days, 17 hours, 39 minutes ago

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.
Posted by Older Guy - 1 month, 1 week, 6 days, 17 hours, 38 minutes ago

The question for BIGLAW drones is: Will you be working the day OF Thanksgiving?
Posted by DB Himmelreich - 1 month, 1 week, 6 days, 17 hours, 36 minutes ago

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!
Posted by Dawn - 1 month, 1 week, 6 days, 17 hours, 35 minutes ago

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.
Posted by Gail S. Stephenson - 1 month, 1 week, 6 days, 17 hours, 19 minutes ago

I’m a legal writing professor, and my students turn in their final memos today. I plan to start grading the memos on Friday.
Posted by robert chapin - 1 month, 1 week, 6 days, 17 hours, 2 minutes ago

Always closed that Friday. Instead the office is open and fully staffed on Columbus day and Veterans’ day and MLK day.
Posted by Jen - 1 month, 1 week, 6 days, 16 hours, 55 minutes ago

Off day after Thanksgiving - I’ve only been off 7 days this year - time to be with family and bake holiday cookies.
Posted by CPa - 1 month, 1 week, 6 days, 16 hours, 50 minutes ago

I’ll leave two hours early… in this economy, recently hired law graduates can’t afford to slack off!
Posted by RAH - 1 month, 1 week, 6 days, 16 hours, 34 minutes ago

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.
Posted by CaliGirl - 1 month, 1 week, 6 days, 16 hours, 31 minutes ago

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.
Posted by Dan - 1 month, 1 week, 6 days, 16 hours, 21 minutes ago

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?
Posted by nlogan - 1 month, 1 week, 6 days, 16 hours, 20 minutes ago

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.
Posted by Eternaclerk - 1 month, 1 week, 6 days, 16 hours, 16 minutes ago

The courthouse is open, so I’ll be there.
Posted by D Smith - 1 month, 1 week, 6 days, 16 hours, 14 minutes ago

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 . . . .
Posted by Ken - 1 month, 1 week, 6 days, 15 hours, 51 minutes ago

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.
Posted by Paul - 1 month, 1 week, 6 days, 15 hours, 47 minutes ago

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.
Posted by R - 1 month, 1 week, 6 days, 15 hours, 34 minutes ago

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!)
Posted by Doug` - 1 month, 1 week, 6 days, 15 hours, 26 minutes ago

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!
Posted by William Stanley Daniel - 1 month, 1 week, 6 days, 15 hours, 19 minutes ago

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.
Posted by Anne - 1 month, 1 week, 6 days, 12 hours, 10 minutes ago

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.
Posted by Glenn - 1 month, 1 week, 6 days, 11 hours, 41 minutes ago

Yes. Since the office will have fewer people in it and there will be fewer clients calling, it will be a great opportunity to be productive.
Posted by 2nd yr assoc - 1 month, 1 week, 6 days, 10 hours, 9 minutes ago

Here’s a short answer—HELL NO.

But I’ll be working this weekend.
Posted by GH - 1 month, 1 week, 6 days, 9 hours, 16 minutes ago

Yes…the office is downtown so it will be a break from the family who will hit shopping early. They shop and I avoid the chaos plus get caught up with work since it will be quiet in the office (I hope).
Posted by Julie - 1 month, 1 week, 6 days, 8 hours, 44 minutes ago

Court is open and I’ll be there; albeit in a beautiful spot on a beautiful island: Kapa`au on the northern-most point of the Big Island of Hawai`i!
Posted by bg - 1 month, 1 week, 6 days, 6 hours, 27 minutes ago

No, I get the day off. I originally had to work since I was supposed to start a trial December 1, but it has been adjourned. This week has been dragging, so I cannot wait until I can leave tomorrow. It was so quiet Monday morning, I was starting to think the firm had instituted Thanksgiving Week and forgot to tell me!
Posted by Schmoe Associate - 1 month, 1 week, 6 days, 5 hours, 40 minutes ago

As I have been reminded on many holidays, the big law salary is in exchange for 24/7 availability, so yes. At least I’ll be working from home though.
Posted by Gaby Alvaro - 1 month, 1 week, 5 days, 16 hours, 58 minutes ago

I’m a lawyer ... of course I’ll be working!
Posted by jackcatscal - 1 month, 1 week, 5 days, 16 hours, 23 minutes ago

This question sounds a bit naive to those of us who have worked for big law firms. The better question would be, “Are you leaving early on Thanksgiving to join your family?” (“Early” means by 6 PM.)

The announced leave policy at my firm was to take as much time off whenever you had time to do so. Of course, if you weren’t busy enough, and could take time off, you probably shouldn’t be working here. The net result was that no one took any vacation.
Posted by BD Bixby - 1 month, 1 week, 5 days, 15 hours, 6 minutes ago

Firm is closed, but I’ll be working. Since most of my clients have the day off, it’s a good opportunity for them to have me available. It’s all about client service.
Posted by California Lawyer - 1 month, 1 week, 5 days, 14 hours, 37 minutes ago

At my firm, Thanksgiving is a paid holiday, but the day after is not. My firm is actually closed the day after Thanksgiving, but we are “forced” to use a vacation day for having that day off. But, heck, we work enough. How often do we get a 4 day weekend? For me, it is only once a year.
Posted by Nick - 1 month, 1 week, 5 days, 8 hours, 13 minutes ago

I don’t know how big “BIGLAW” is, but our firm of 200 with seven offices will be closed on Friday. Our lawyers can work whenever they want, as long as they satisfy clients and make their (very reasonable) billable targets. Some of them work from home full time. I’ll probably come in Saturday for a while, just to get a break from the “honey-do” list at home.
Posted by Dave - 1 month, 1 week, 5 days, 4 hours, 20 minutes ago

Yes, but i’m sleeping in on Friday. As year-end gets closer, the pressure of meeting my billable hour requirement grows. I’ll think about vacation in January. Besides, Black Friday in South Florida is not something I look forward to.
Posted by Douglas Rothman - 1 month, 1 week, 4 days, 29 minutes ago

Some one got off for Thanks Giving, well that not fair!

I need to get a better job next year.
Posted by KALIFORNIA ARNOLD - 1 month, 1 week, 3 days, 16 hours, 3 minutes ago

Yes, as unfortunately, neither billing (hourly) requirements nor the mail takes a vacation. I don’t Saturday but Sunday is just another day in the (never ending) billable year.
Posted by Andy - 1 month, 1 week, 3 days, 12 hours, 52 minutes ago

Yes, I am working today, Friday. Didn’t plan on it but a client left until today the decision on a Chapter 11 required to be filed before Monday morning.

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