One of the small rituals of law firm life is that attorneys frequently send exit emails to the colleagues they leave behind on their last day of work. These emails are usually warm, funny, and help attorneys leave positive impressions that might serve them well as they move throughout their careers. During my time at four different law firms before starting my own practice, I received dozens of such exit emails, and attorneys should keep a few things in mind when crafting the perfect one.
Be Warm
Attorneys often do not have the most positive emotions about supervisors and co-workers. This is because legal practice can be a grind, and some personalities at law firms might be difficult to handle. Indeed, some attorneys leave law firms since they simply cannot contend with managers who frequently assign them work.
However, it is usually best to take a warm and thankful tone when crafting an attorney exit email. Lawyers may wish to thank the people with whom they worked and reflect on the growth they experienced during their time at a firm. The legal community is much smaller than people may think, and there is a solid chance that attorneys will see co-workers on future matters. Indeed, co-workers might even be critical for attorneys to secure opportunities in the future. Accordingly, it is best not to burn bridges and to focus on the positive aspects of working at a law firm.
Be Funny
The best attorney exit emails I have ever seen are hilarious missives that are laugh-out-loud funny. Some people might find it challenging to be funny in the two-dimensional format of an attorney exit email, but with the right wording, you can impart a significant amount of humor. Often, the easiest way is to poke gentle fun at the firm, its policies, or — if you’re feeling bold — the managers. If done with enough finesse, you can gain the respect of co-workers and depart a shop with some levity.
One time, I compiled an attorney exit email that I tried to make as funny as possible. I made a number of height-related jokes — I am 6 feet 8 1/2 inches tall — which seemed like they landed well. I also individually thanked all of the top brass at the shop, and I gave a nickname to each of the partners that was funny but not too mean. People liked that touch, and some of the partners stopped by my office on my last day to tell me that they appreciated the nicknames. There is an extremely delicate balance between being funny and mean, but if you can strike that balance, you can have an especially memorable exit email.
Tell People Your Plans
One thing some people forget to do in exit emails is to tell people what they will be doing after they leave a shop. It is easy enough to look on LinkedIn for details about a lawyer’s next job, but if you tell co-workers about your plans in an exit email, it is possible that co-workers can talk with you about your plans while you are still in the office.
Traditionally, lawyers leave their personal contact information in exit emails since the work email will presumably be deactivated. These days, this part of an exit email no longer seems obligatory as people can easily find lawyers on social media.
I’d love to hear any stories about exit emails from readers of this column, I’m sure there have been some epic ones over the years. And if lawyers keep a few things in mind, they can be sure to write a notable exit email that leaves a positive impression after they depart from a firm.
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@rothman.law.
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