The Firm recognizes that blogs are prevalent in today's culture and that blogs about Skadden are to be expected. Nonetheless, we believe that the "contests" on one of these blogs is inappropriate and does not reflect our values and standards of behavior. Numerous attorneys at the Firm have expressed their concern and, in some cases, embarrassment at such contests. We urge the authors of the blog to consider both the privacy and feelings of the affected attorneys and to discontinue the contests.We don't want to assume too much but we're guessing that he was talking about us.
A few things in response:
1) With limited exception, we used publicly available photos of each nominee. When asked by one nominee to remove a photo submitted by someone very close to her, we did. Had anyone asked to be removed from the contest, we would have obliged. No one did. In fact, one nominee wrote and told us they realized the poll was some just some "silly fun." We must note, though, that pictures on Facebook or MySpace are, in our opinion, fair game and not an invasion of anyone's privacy.
2) The contest, although sophomoric, was done all in good fun. We're sorry if anyone was embarassed by it. We wish you had just chuckled, rolled your eyes or merely clicked away.
3) We're not quite sure what Skadden's "values" are (or, for that matter, the Firm's "standards of behavior"). That sounds like an open-thread item if we've ever heard one.
While we take our tongue lashing under consideration, we'll suspend nominations for the Hottest Male Associate (we've received quite a few already). Maybe we'll even run a poll as to whether we should continue.
Maybe we'll finally get to posting all those comments we've received via e-mail. Or maybe we'll finally get around to chatting about the 60th Anniversary party.
Talk about embarrassing!
11 comments:
can't we at least get the list of the hottest male contenders???
What's "embarrassing" is that everyone at Skadden apparently believes that "embarassing" is the correct spelling.
Skadden Insider, I’ll be joining Skadden this summer as an associate and as a 30+ year old I feel I have a pretty good feel for the public image these contests conjure in the mind of Skadden’s clients and competitors. Clients are being charged an enormous hourly fee for the services of associates and whether such contests take time away from client matters is irrelevant . . . what is relevant is that clients may believe their work is being performed in an environment that is less than serious and judicious.
It’s easy to imagine a client wondering how associate John Smith can go from voting on the hottest female associate in one instant to putting forth a disciplined effort on the client’s matter in another. While Skadden associates may be great multitaskers, it simply looks horrible. Of course, this is say nothing of the completely sexist and denigrating aspects of the contests.
To suggest that you don’t know what Skadden’s values are should be grounds for dismissal. Any mature, well educated person walking in off the street should understand that a business environment requires respect and that clients expect you to at least act as if you are worth the money they are spending on you. You’ve all graduated from college and law school. It’s time to display a bit of maturity. I hope the environment changes for the better before I arrive.
Values? I've seen worse on skadden facebook profiles.
Re: Comment 2/9/08 @ 5:44 PM
Two things:
1) get a sense of humor before you come to the firm this summer; and
2) just because you are a 30+ year old associate puts you in a position to know what the firm's clients think? Someone thinks highly of themselves.
"To suggest that you don’t know what Skadden’s values are should be grounds for dismissal."
Since YOU DON'T WORK HERE YET, you should tone it down a bit. And if our clients are taking the time to read "Skadden Insider", they PROBABLY aren't all that offended by it!
I had assumed that you'd gotten the finalists' permission before posting their names and photos. You really should have. Maybe you can get the permission of the male finalists and then go on with the contest? Btw, photos on facebook are *not* fair game if the person has it set so that only friends can view their photos. As for the future summer posting above, consider lightening up a bit.
Re: Comment 2/9/08 @ 5:44 PM
The guy/girl who wrote that comment is dead on. These contests are not humorous – they only run the risk of making our firm look petty and immature. If you’re young enough to enjoy things like this you should leave the law – clients expect more than this type of trash from one of the most prestigious firms in the world.
If you don’t think clients read this stuff, then you’re dreaming. Every time you Google Skadden you get this blog as a hit. And give some thought to what it makes all associates look like to the older and more experienced support staff. They look over their cubes at us sitting in our little offices and wonder how we ever got hired when we act like such children.
As for his/her point about Skadden values, you don’t have to work at Skadden to understand that a major corporate law firm has standards of conduct any moron should understand. The fact that Mr. Baer felt compelled to write such a memo to us tells you all you need to know about how this impacts the image of the firm. As a labor and employment expert one might even think he knows a bit about the liability we create for the firm when these things create a hostile work environment for employees.
Contest like this are just the misguided product of a blog trying to make itself relevant and immature associates thinking they are still in law school.
I've been at Skadden for years, and I cast my vote with 5:44. Skadden has a clear set of values (and this contest does not fit with them) starting with professionalism, and including avoidance of sexism and sex-based stereotyping.
Frankly, I am embarassed by this blog.
At a minimum, you guys need to grow up.
What do you feel like your knuckles were wrapped in?
Are you sure you're smart enough to work at Skadden? (Or maybe that's why the brass are worried about an image problem.)
Wow, 5:44, you are totally going to get your ass kicked over the summer if you keep that up.
Let me guess, you are the head gunner at your T14 LS as well, right?
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