Last night was the Above the Law holiday party, and if you didn’t make it, you definitely missed out! The event is always an amazing time, since it is great to meet individuals from all across the legal profession and kick back with an amazing group of people. Attending the Above the Law holiday event and other holiday happenings sponsored by law firms has allowed me to reflect on the fact that attorneys are some of the best people to have fun with! No matter what others may say about lawyers, members of the legal profession should take satisfaction from the fact that something about attorneys makes us pretty fun to be around. Let me just say at the onset that I in no way equate having fun with drinking, and substance abuse is a serious issue in the legal profession. Rather, my point is that some personality traits of many lawyers may make it easier for us to cut loose than other types of professionals.
I first realized that lawyers might be especially inclined to have a good time when I was in law school. Students from the law schools I attended knew how to kick back and have fun in ways that I didn’t even see in college (although I went to a pretty boring college!). Law students at the schools I attended had amazing house parties, bar reviews at local bars, and other events that made it more palatable to attend law school. Of course, most of the people I attended law school with also knew how to hit the books, but these folks definitely knew how to cut loose as well.
I first realized that law students might be apart from other graduate student in their capacity to have fun when my alma mater’s law school and medical school had a mixer called “Medical Malpractice.” The event had a separation much like boys and girls on opposite sides of the gym at a junior high school dance. The law students were having a good time while the wallflower medical students mostly kept to themselves. The law students and medical students really couldn’t click, and how everyone had fun was definitely one reason for this.
There are several explanations for why law students have an easier time kicking back than students entering other professions. For one, lawyers usually thrive if they are social and personable. It is very difficult to sign clients and develop in the legal profession if you keep to yourself, and this makes lawyers and law students more social and personable than other professionals. In addition, social people are more likely to enter the profession, since lawyering could be a good conduit for channeling people skills. Of course, some legal professionals are introverts, and some roles within the profession might be better suited to people who don’t like to interact with others. However, most lawyers are people-people, and that quality might make lawyers and law students fun to be around.
As a practicing attorney, I love attending events sponsored by bar associations, law firms, and other groups within the legal profession. I routinely have a great time hanging with attorneys of all ages, and practicing attorneys are an extremely fun and congenial group to be around. There are a number of reasons why attorneys are more fun and welcoming than other groups with whom I associate. For one, attorneys thrive on referrals. Unwinding with other professionals is a great way to make connections that could lead to business development. In addition, many lawyers adopt a “work hard, play hard” attitude, so attorneys might have an easier time kicking back and having fun than other professionals. Moreover, interacting with people who have shared backgrounds is always fun, and most attorneys, regardless of where they went to law school or where they work, have many common experiences. It is fun to reflect on these experiences and swap stories.
Regrettably, not all events sponsored by lawyers are fun, and I’ve gone to some pretty dreadful parties — holiday and otherwise — throughout my career. Some holiday parties sponsored by law firms can be extremely unpleasant to attend, since people at firms may try to curry favor with the bosses at parties, and interacting with managers outside of an office setting is sometimes uncomfortable. In addition, events aimed at recruits to law firms can also be difficult, since everyone is on best behavior and there is no real opportunity to have fun. However, most lawyer events (when there are no job responsibilities or other expectations) are usually extremely fun to attend, since lawyers are awesome people to have fun with.
In the end, I’m not arguing for “lawyer exceptionalism,” and some professionals may be better at having fun than attorneys (finance people definitely come to mind!). However, attorneys are typically good at interacting with other people, and the personable nature of many lawyers definitely makes us fun folks to kick back with. As a result, if you have the chance to attend a lawyer holiday party this year, definitely try to make an appearance. If not, I at least hope to see you at the Above the Law holiday party next year!
Jordan Rothman is a partner of The Rothman Law Firm, a full-service New York and New Jersey law firm. He is also the founder of Student Debt Diaries, a website discussing how he paid off his student loans. You can reach Jordan through email at jordan@rothmanlawyer.com.
Kathryn Rubino is a Senior Editor at Above the Law, and host of 
Jordan Rothman is a partner of 
