The novel coronavirus has changed the legal profession as we know it. Associates and partners alike are working from their homes and facing even more challenges than they did when they had to work with each other in person. This has been going on for about two months now, and relationships are becoming strained. One firm seems to have found a solution.
Greenberg Glusker, which was recently ranked by Vault as one of the Top 10 Best Midsize Law Firms to Work For, has been participating in the Food From The Bar fundraiser to raise money for the Los Angeles Regional Foodbank. Rather than just asking people to donate money, the firm organized an event that would really incentivize employees to contribute to the common good. From a source at the firm:
We organized a “Pie a Partner” event where staff members, associates, and partners could donate money for a partner to get hit with a shaving cream pie (so as not to waste food) in the face. The partner could either accept the challenge, or donate double the amount to avoid the pie. We ended up raising $10,000 in a week doing this.
We’ve been told that the highest associate pledge was $200, so a partner would have had to pay $400 to avoid being pied. Here’s a video that the firm put together of all of their partners getting pied in the face. Who knew charity could be so much fun?
Staci Zaretsky is a senior editor at Above the Law, where she’s worked since 2011. She’d love to hear from you, so please feel free to email her with any tips, questions, comments, or critiques. You can follow her on Twitter or connect with her on LinkedIn.