Office Etiquette: No Jerks Office Policy

Despite what some people might think, being an attorney and being a jerk don’t go hand-in-hand. At least not at one Atlanta law firm, where office etiquette matters.

Morris, Manning, & Martin has a “no jerks” policy that everyone - from interns and support staff to the highest-ranking partners - is expected to follow. Employees are hired and later evaluated based on how well they get along with other people. Those who don’t play nice don’t stick around very long. Some actually get fired.

“Law firms can be quite high-pressured,” managing partner Bob Saudek told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. “We have so much external pressure, we didn’t want overbearing personalities or prima donnas inside the firm.”

It’s hard to believe, especially in what can be a cut-throat field like law. But for some people, making sure the work environment is a pleasant one is more important than making sure the most ambitious, get-them-at-all-cost people are hired.

Maybe being the best person for the job doesn’t always mean being the nicest person for the job. And in my world, I don’t put a lot of stock in just being nice. But I can certainly appreciate what this firm is trying to do as far as establishing a code for office etiquette. I’m not sure it’ll make them the most competitive, successful company around. But it goes one step beyond an office dress code and might make them a nice place to be for the holiday office party.

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