Since the firm retreats are likely to be canned again this year, let's discuss which firms have taken their lawyers and staff to the best destinations.
I'll tell you what's the worst. AZB. Carting us all of into a hellish real life version of MTV cribs in Goa, made to gawk at art that looks like a road accident but costs more than I make in a year, melting in the Goan heat eating dal bhaat and drinking fenny while fixing an SSHA. Never again.
I think the paid holidays comment is being misunderstood completely here. Of course the cost of travel, food and accommodation, etc is booked to the firm and not a single penny is charged to the lawyers!
What is intended here is for people to understand that JSA retreats are not paid 'holidays' for lawyers (as against the generally accepted notion that retreats are all about partying and chilling, which may be true in case of some firms!), but they are rather an agenda and purpose driven work retreat/offsite (which may not be a bad thing provided the intensity is curtailed!). The rant here is that while the intention of organising an offsite may be all noble and good, the effect of it is definitely not!
While JSA has set a precedent for taking its attorneys to some cool places - Greece, Bangkok, Langkawi, Bali, Nepal and Shanghai, unlike other law firms. However, to be honest they are not enjoyable to say the least. The only people who are genuinely excited about retreats are first years. Meh!
Taking indirect flights (with long layovers) only to participate in stupid team building and firm building exercises and attend sessions after sessions all day long is counterproductive and an utter waste of resources, energy and money. You may be a few minutes away from some of the most exotic and beautiful sceneries, pubs, restaurants, etc., but instead of experiencing all that - you will be forced to sit in the ball room of some five star hotel (sometimes not even that!) and listen to partners speak the same rhetoric year after year. Oh yes and don't forget that you have to wear 'smart casuals' - no shorts, t's etc. etc.
Retreats eventually leave people more exhausted. Would prefer not have these sham foreign retreats but local ones and be paid extra bonus instead so that we can go to a place of our liking and try and escape from work temporarily!
Just, in case some of you may be thinking, JSA retreats are not paid holidays!
Lol what JSA retreat did you go to and who forced you to sit down for a session? Nobody actually attends those sessions other than to recover from the hangovers everyone's nursing on day two. Smart casuals are only for the evening functions, and every year except maybe Langkawi, there was ample time to go out and enjoy the sights.
It's generic stuff that someone with two MBAs and zero relationships thought up of - puzzle solving, treasure hunts, word associates etc. If you time your drinks properly they can be fun.
The firm bears the full cost of the trip, end to end. Shopping et al. is on you.
Just wondering if firms will take you to some 5 star hotels in the abovementioned locations, and then make it like a 'Workation'. Same pressure, DDs, Offline work and same 12-13 hr workdays, but in a much cool place, in the name of 'Chill Retreats'.
Both times the alleged perpetrator was an M&A partner. One of whom is a cohead and gave a written apology to management not to repeat the behaviour. The other got the alleged victim to resign.
Moral of the story the big bucks excuses being an ass%#.
Thanks to Sharma ji.
What is intended here is for people to understand that JSA retreats are not paid 'holidays' for lawyers (as against the generally accepted notion that retreats are all about partying and chilling, which may be true in case of some firms!), but they are rather an agenda and purpose driven work retreat/offsite (which may not be a bad thing provided the intensity is curtailed!). The rant here is that while the intention of organising an offsite may be all noble and good, the effect of it is definitely not!
Taking indirect flights (with long layovers) only to participate in stupid team building and firm building exercises and attend sessions after sessions all day long is counterproductive and an utter waste of resources, energy and money. You may be a few minutes away from some of the most exotic and beautiful sceneries, pubs, restaurants, etc., but instead of experiencing all that - you will be forced to sit in the ball room of some five star hotel (sometimes not even that!) and listen to partners speak the same rhetoric year after year. Oh yes and don't forget that you have to wear 'smart casuals' - no shorts, t's etc. etc.
Retreats eventually leave people more exhausted. Would prefer not have these sham foreign retreats but local ones and be paid extra bonus instead so that we can go to a place of our liking and try and escape from work temporarily!
Just, in case some of you may be thinking, JSA retreats are not paid holidays!
Also what’s the approx cost per person to these exotic location considering the firm doesn’t bear the cost?
The firm bears the full cost of the trip, end to end. Shopping et al. is on you.
Both firms had incidents of sexual harassment.
Both times the alleged perpetrator was an M&A partner. One of whom is a cohead and gave a written apology to management not to repeat the behaviour. The other got the alleged victim to resign.
Moral of the story the big bucks excuses being an ass%#.
Law firm life.
Mauritius was fun with unlimited alcohol. Estonia was more 'restrained' with the level of booze more limited, but more freedom to explore Talinn.