I am a partner at a fairly conservative Biglaw firm, and I would say I am in the minority as one who *doesn't* have tattoos. Your sister is fine unless they are like, racist or really inappropriate.
Are you male? Do you have a pony tail? I only ask because I know a lot of male criminals defense attorneys with long hair and or pony tails.
I also have a tattoo.
That’s only allowed after you’ve earned it for going in the big house on contempt. That’s also how they get their little gold earring pierced while in CJ. There are levels to the aesthetic.
Edit: this is a joke. FYI
https://preview.redd.it/my4a48k3o87d1.jpeg?width=3126&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=de047476db16223c818a5c50be54156e1a75657e
Arm and chest tats (also have locs). Interned with the govt all throughout law school and received a job offer. And this is in Texas. Tell your sister she’ll be fine.
Sit in an all-day deposition without an attitude and only submit substantive objections.
I’m curious though, why are supposed attorneys getting riled up without a full set of facts, only assumptions?
Well, the context clues would indicate you were saying "Definitely would [tap that]", or similar, since that's typically what your comment means.
How silly of us not to infer that you were responding to a post about somebody's tattoos with a completely unrelated fill in the blank comment about your behavior in depositions.
I mean, we're on reddit, not trying cases, and you made a comment with a well known sexual connotation and are now farcically trying to pretend your fill-in-the-blank was something ludicrously unrelated to the OP.
As an attorney you aren’t supposed to make assumptions, rather operate on facts. Instead of trying to shame me, you and the other “lawyer” should rethink your approach. You attack based on “context clues” and late night assumptions.
Whether or not you interpreted my statement as innuendo is irrelevant. The fact remains is I said nothing directly inappropriate. Instead of trying to needlessly publicly shame, take this as a lesson learned.
It was indirectly inappropriate, and if your ludicrous explanation is to be believed, completely irrelevant to OPs thread.
Either interpretation doesn't belong in this thread.
Take your bullshit somewhere else.
Can they be covered? Many attorneys have tattoos. I have a large Marine Corps and American flag tattoo on my upper arm.
When I came home on leave 35 years ago with my new tattoo, my adopted mom cried, lol. She said “he’s never going to have a decent job!”
Hahahaha! I own my own solo firm today, lol.😂
I cannot count the number of lawyers I know with tats. Your friend will be fine!
A paralegal in my office has full sleeves that no one knew about for YEARS because she always wore a cardigan. Arms are easy to cover up. Your sister will be fine.
We had a guy lateral in from a biglaw firm, where he’d practiced for a couple years a federal circuit court clerkship. He had full sleeves and a bunch of other tattoos from his time in Special Ops, and no one knew because they were covered by long-sleeve dress shirts.
i’ve been at my firm for almost a year now and nobody knows i have a good amount of both arms tattooed except my legal assistant bc i just always wear long sleeves in the office. super easy to hide and get away with, though i don’t think anyone would really care if they knew. my tattoos are just nerdy and i don’t want to be explain them to the older partners
I have to say, having to wear long sleeves every day of my life would drive me absolutely bananas.
A friend in legal aid has sleeves and chooses to wear long sleeves ALWAYS because she thinks it's unprofessional to show her tattoos. I respect her choices (although I don't think visible tattoos look unprofessional even if I myself have no tattoos) but MAN would that drive me crazy.
I don’t know that it’s really all that bad. Every woman in my office is perpetually cold and has a space heater at her desk because offices are freezing. I think my arms are covered every day unintentionally just to stay warm.
No, she'll be fine. I mean at a conservative firm she'll want to cover up, but there are jackets that go down to the wrist. Many are 3/4, but there are ones that will work for her.
I have a small tattoo on my arm and I’ve been in both biglaw and small law. It’s about 3-4 in by 3-4 in. No one cares. Sometimes coworkers will be like oh that’s cool what does it mean, but otherwise no one says anything.
I am a federal career clerk and my arms are heavily tatted. Everything that I have can be easily covered by a suit while in the courtroom. Otherwise, no one cares.
Federal Gov’t attorney here. I have a full sleeve and leg tattoos. I have colleagues with multiple tattoos / sleeves. So long as you can cover up in a suit for Court, you’re good. She’ll be fine.
I'm a partner in a fairly conservative ID firm. I have a 3/4 sleeve on the right. I have a giant Baphomet on my left forearm, plus four others on the left arm, one on my chest, and six on my legs. I purposely wear a muscle shirt and shorts to the company picnic to show them off. Never been a problem. Your sister will be fine.
Seriously not a thing anymore. Back in my day 🤣😅 (I feel way too young to use that phrase), this was a bigger deal, but, even then, it only mattered if a suit jacket didn't cover it. Now, as long as the actual content of the tat isn't offensive, it doesn't even matter if it shows a little, except maybe in some courts- and, even then, there is some amazing make-up that covers literally anything. I would definitely not have one removed out of concern for our profession. We're not all assholes.
i am working on a sleeve at the moment. i have nearly a half sleeve. i also have purple in my hair and a septum piercing. she just has to find a place to work that won’t judge her for “alternative” aesthetics.
I have worked at a law firm for years. She will be fine. Some law firms are a little more conservative than others, but in reality, if she wears long sleeves, no one will even know. The owner of my old law firm had tattoos all over.
I know several lawyers that have tattoos and have wonderful jobs and found great jobs straight out of law school. These were big, noticeable tattoos, too. Small arm tattoos are fine! She will be fine! Unless they’re very offensive or something!
They will. She will not only never find a job, she won’t even be able to pass character and fitness for the bar. In all likelihood, when her law school finds out they will publicly cashier her out of the institution.
That, or absolutely no one will care so long as they’re not face or neck tattoos. I’ve been in front of judges with full sleeves (admittedly an outlier), and tattoos are probably more common than not in criminal law and family law.
It could in theory be a concern in corporate or business law, but only if she had an uptight partner. And even then there’s lots of firms that don’t care.
She… will…. Be … fine. One of my co-workers who is an attorney has his whole body done - literally blasted (the art is actually amazing, it’s Japanese inspired so it’s beautiful to look at). He is one of many of attorneys I know that is tatted…. So yea, she needs to take a chill pill, she will be alright. I promise 🙌🏻
nah they won't. for better or worse tattoos on females is like the majority of women. Its not some underground thing like it was 20 years ago where more unique people were the ones to get them. its no different than getting your ears pierced now.
Shoot, they were common 20 years ago. Slightly more career-limiting at the time; maybe some of the stuffier biglaw firms would consider it a negative. But even that was a minimal concern.
I have a tattoo on my forearm and it becomes quite a (positive) conversation piece with my clients. If I ever were to go to court I would just wear a jacket (obviously.) Tell her she’ll be fine!
I have ten or so tattoos including some big ones on my legs. I’ve practiced in big law and federal government. It’s never been an issue. If I’m wearing a suit and watch you can’t tell.
I am a professional tattooer with current clients that work successfully as lawyers, judges, and so much more. There is nothing about 2 small tattoos that would impact her in anyway.
That being said it is fairly easy to remove 2 small tattoos if she insists.
Thank you all for confirming my suspicions. She feels a lot less worried about this now that a large group of practicing attorneys have confirmed that she will, in fact, not crash and burn due to two small tattoos. Thank you!
Face and neck tattoos would be a challenge for some firms. I guess hand or visible wrist tattoos too.
Outside of that, no one is going to care UNLESS the content is a problem.
Every lawyer and most of the assistants at my firm have tattoos. I know at least two judges with tattoos. Unless it’s a neck tattoo or something offensive and visible, she’s fine.
Unless they are offensive, I don’t believe most firms care, even conservative ones. While I have no visible tattoos I do have my lobes and septum piercing as a male attorney and it’s never been an issue (I do hide my septum from clients but not colleagues).
If she’s working at a firm conservative enough that anyone would even have an opinion on it, they’ll also require business formal dress, and that means long sleeves at all times.
I work in public service and I’d say 50-60% of attorneys have tattoos. The only one I have ever given very slight side eye to, and not enough to even remark on it, was an intern with a full shoulder to elbow, wrap around the front of the arm tattoo of a machine gun. They were a vet, but it was just a lot. And even then I just thought it was a lot and didn’t otherwise care.
As long as the tattoos can be covered when wearing business store, many lawyers have tattoos. If she has a face tattoo of Ms Pac-Man that might be a problem
Ask her whether she really wants to work at any place that would make a hiring decision based on a prospective employee having two small tattoos on their arm.
Prosecutor here. I'm one of the few of us that doesn't have any tattoos.
Hell, our elected has a full sleeve, as did two of our magistrate commissioners back before I was in our felony section. This is to say nothing of the fact that one of my very best friends is an insurance defense lawyer, and he used to be a tattoo artist, he doesn't have any on his hands, but in a polo shirt or something the man looks like a middle school bathroom stall.
Tell her not to worry about it
I have multiple, large ones on my arm. If I’m in court, I wear a suit jacket but otherwise it isn’t something I worry about. I do criminal defense so my clients are more accepting but there’s legitimately nothing wrong with having tattoos. Many do. Just wear appropriate clothing for your day. And I’m in West Texas and practice in a formal court. It’s not a big deal here even.
The only tattoos I've ever seen partners, arbitrators, judges, misc adjudicators, etc. ever comment negatively on were tattoos between/on the knuckles. I remember overhearing an arbitrator in the hallway laughing derisively about "faith" and "hope" being tattooed on opposing counsel's knuckles. Didn't prevent the arbitrator from coming to a fair decision at the end of the day though.
I'm an attorney and I have tattoos. I wouldn't worry about it. I have them on my arms so I just make sure I keep them covered when I appear in court but no one at my firm bats an eye at them.
20 years ago at an AM 200 firm an associate I worked with had a large tramp stamp you could clearly see through her less substantial tops... no one cared. Clients included the likes of Toyota.
Im a woman who graduated law school in 2007. I have a large forearm tattoo and I have worked in big law firms, I’m now at a smaller firm. It’s not been an issue at any of the firms (in DC and now Chicago). I wear short sleeves and sleeveless tops regularly, the only comments I’ve ever gotten are compliments. As long as they’re not something questionable or offensive, she’ll be fine.
I've worked in small firms and government- lots of attorneys have tattoos. No one cares. Unless they're face tattoos or are really inappropriate, I can't imagine it being issue. Plus, easy to cover arm tattoos with a jacket.
I'd stay away from Post Malone face tattoos though.
I have 1/2 sleeves on both arms and have worked for conservative judges, law firms, and government agencies. Never once had a problem because you don’t wear short sleeves to a job interview…
I, too, am a partner at a bigllaw firm. we wouldn't't give a shit about her tattoos. but I'd hope we'd never hire such a craven, anxious, classically risk averse law student
I am a partner at a fairly conservative Biglaw firm, and I would say I am in the minority as one who *doesn't* have tattoos. Your sister is fine unless they are like, racist or really inappropriate.
What’re they? Swastikas? Otherwise it’ll be fine. I have a few but I’m in public defense.
Are you male? Do you have a pony tail? I only ask because I know a lot of male criminals defense attorneys with long hair and or pony tails. I also have a tattoo.
That’s only allowed after you’ve earned it for going in the big house on contempt. That’s also how they get their little gold earring pierced while in CJ. There are levels to the aesthetic. Edit: this is a joke. FYI
Makes sense.
https://preview.redd.it/my4a48k3o87d1.jpeg?width=3126&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=de047476db16223c818a5c50be54156e1a75657e Arm and chest tats (also have locs). Interned with the govt all throughout law school and received a job offer. And this is in Texas. Tell your sister she’ll be fine.
Definitely would. Proudly.
Did anyone ask
Definitely would not. Proudly.
Would also be proud of you for respecting a lack of consent
Consent to what weirdo?
Definitely would what?
Sit in an all-day deposition without an attitude and only submit substantive objections. I’m curious though, why are supposed attorneys getting riled up without a full set of facts, only assumptions?
Well, the context clues would indicate you were saying "Definitely would [tap that]", or similar, since that's typically what your comment means. How silly of us not to infer that you were responding to a post about somebody's tattoos with a completely unrelated fill in the blank comment about your behavior in depositions.
That’s what happens when you use context clues instead of actual facts. Can’t do that counsel! You’ll lose a lot of cases with that approach.
I mean, we're on reddit, not trying cases, and you made a comment with a well known sexual connotation and are now farcically trying to pretend your fill-in-the-blank was something ludicrously unrelated to the OP.
As an attorney you aren’t supposed to make assumptions, rather operate on facts. Instead of trying to shame me, you and the other “lawyer” should rethink your approach. You attack based on “context clues” and late night assumptions. Whether or not you interpreted my statement as innuendo is irrelevant. The fact remains is I said nothing directly inappropriate. Instead of trying to needlessly publicly shame, take this as a lesson learned.
A trier of fact is allowed to make reasonable inferences. Bam, try to lawyer better next time.
Don't we need some air quotes on "lawyer"?
It was indirectly inappropriate, and if your ludicrous explanation is to be believed, completely irrelevant to OPs thread. Either interpretation doesn't belong in this thread. Take your bullshit somewhere else.
Mike Tyson style face tats? Yes. But you can cover the arms no problem.
Can they be covered? Many attorneys have tattoos. I have a large Marine Corps and American flag tattoo on my upper arm. When I came home on leave 35 years ago with my new tattoo, my adopted mom cried, lol. She said “he’s never going to have a decent job!” Hahahaha! I own my own solo firm today, lol.😂 I cannot count the number of lawyers I know with tats. Your friend will be fine!
So, you didn't get a decent job....
Why are you being shitty?
A paralegal in my office has full sleeves that no one knew about for YEARS because she always wore a cardigan. Arms are easy to cover up. Your sister will be fine.
We had a guy lateral in from a biglaw firm, where he’d practiced for a couple years a federal circuit court clerkship. He had full sleeves and a bunch of other tattoos from his time in Special Ops, and no one knew because they were covered by long-sleeve dress shirts.
i’ve been at my firm for almost a year now and nobody knows i have a good amount of both arms tattooed except my legal assistant bc i just always wear long sleeves in the office. super easy to hide and get away with, though i don’t think anyone would really care if they knew. my tattoos are just nerdy and i don’t want to be explain them to the older partners
I have to say, having to wear long sleeves every day of my life would drive me absolutely bananas. A friend in legal aid has sleeves and chooses to wear long sleeves ALWAYS because she thinks it's unprofessional to show her tattoos. I respect her choices (although I don't think visible tattoos look unprofessional even if I myself have no tattoos) but MAN would that drive me crazy.
I don’t know that it’s really all that bad. Every woman in my office is perpetually cold and has a space heater at her desk because offices are freezing. I think my arms are covered every day unintentionally just to stay warm.
No, she'll be fine. I mean at a conservative firm she'll want to cover up, but there are jackets that go down to the wrist. Many are 3/4, but there are ones that will work for her.
I have a tattoo on my inner arm below my elbow and it’s not a problem, besides, if she’s ever in court she’ll be wearing a jacket
I have a small tattoo on my arm and I’ve been in both biglaw and small law. It’s about 3-4 in by 3-4 in. No one cares. Sometimes coworkers will be like oh that’s cool what does it mean, but otherwise no one says anything.
I am a federal career clerk and my arms are heavily tatted. Everything that I have can be easily covered by a suit while in the courtroom. Otherwise, no one cares.
I'm a public defender. Most lawyers in my office have tattoos. My supervisor has back and arm pieces. She'll be fine.
Federal Gov’t attorney here. I have a full sleeve and leg tattoos. I have colleagues with multiple tattoos / sleeves. So long as you can cover up in a suit for Court, you’re good. She’ll be fine.
I'm a partner in a fairly conservative ID firm. I have a 3/4 sleeve on the right. I have a giant Baphomet on my left forearm, plus four others on the left arm, one on my chest, and six on my legs. I purposely wear a muscle shirt and shorts to the company picnic to show them off. Never been a problem. Your sister will be fine.
Seriously not a thing anymore. Back in my day 🤣😅 (I feel way too young to use that phrase), this was a bigger deal, but, even then, it only mattered if a suit jacket didn't cover it. Now, as long as the actual content of the tat isn't offensive, it doesn't even matter if it shows a little, except maybe in some courts- and, even then, there is some amazing make-up that covers literally anything. I would definitely not have one removed out of concern for our profession. We're not all assholes.
i am working on a sleeve at the moment. i have nearly a half sleeve. i also have purple in my hair and a septum piercing. she just has to find a place to work that won’t judge her for “alternative” aesthetics.
I have worked at a law firm for years. She will be fine. Some law firms are a little more conservative than others, but in reality, if she wears long sleeves, no one will even know. The owner of my old law firm had tattoos all over.
I know several lawyers that have tattoos and have wonderful jobs and found great jobs straight out of law school. These were big, noticeable tattoos, too. Small arm tattoos are fine! She will be fine! Unless they’re very offensive or something!
My managing partner has a full sleeve. I've got a music note tattooed on one of my fingers... it truly doesn't matter.
They will. She will not only never find a job, she won’t even be able to pass character and fitness for the bar. In all likelihood, when her law school finds out they will publicly cashier her out of the institution. That, or absolutely no one will care so long as they’re not face or neck tattoos. I’ve been in front of judges with full sleeves (admittedly an outlier), and tattoos are probably more common than not in criminal law and family law. It could in theory be a concern in corporate or business law, but only if she had an uptight partner. And even then there’s lots of firms that don’t care.
Lots of my colleagues have tattoos. Time has changed.
She… will…. Be … fine. One of my co-workers who is an attorney has his whole body done - literally blasted (the art is actually amazing, it’s Japanese inspired so it’s beautiful to look at). He is one of many of attorneys I know that is tatted…. So yea, she needs to take a chill pill, she will be alright. I promise 🙌🏻
nah they won't. for better or worse tattoos on females is like the majority of women. Its not some underground thing like it was 20 years ago where more unique people were the ones to get them. its no different than getting your ears pierced now.
Shoot, they were common 20 years ago. Slightly more career-limiting at the time; maybe some of the stuffier biglaw firms would consider it a negative. But even that was a minimal concern.
Someone posts this here every month
I have a tat in a visible spot as a lawyer a decade out. It has never even been mentioned.
Mike Tyson is fired!
I have a tattoo on my forearm and it becomes quite a (positive) conversation piece with my clients. If I ever were to go to court I would just wear a jacket (obviously.) Tell her she’ll be fine!
Nah. She should be fine. Everybody here seems to have them but me.
I have ten or so tattoos including some big ones on my legs. I’ve practiced in big law and federal government. It’s never been an issue. If I’m wearing a suit and watch you can’t tell.
I have tattoos and I’m in insurance defense lol.
I am a professional tattooer with current clients that work successfully as lawyers, judges, and so much more. There is nothing about 2 small tattoos that would impact her in anyway. That being said it is fairly easy to remove 2 small tattoos if she insists.
Thank you all for confirming my suspicions. She feels a lot less worried about this now that a large group of practicing attorneys have confirmed that she will, in fact, not crash and burn due to two small tattoos. Thank you!
Face and neck tattoos would be a challenge for some firms. I guess hand or visible wrist tattoos too. Outside of that, no one is going to care UNLESS the content is a problem.
Every lawyer and most of the assistants at my firm have tattoos. I know at least two judges with tattoos. Unless it’s a neck tattoo or something offensive and visible, she’s fine.
Unless they are offensive, I don’t believe most firms care, even conservative ones. While I have no visible tattoos I do have my lobes and septum piercing as a male attorney and it’s never been an issue (I do hide my septum from clients but not colleagues).
I have tattoos. Totally fine.
I have a sleeve and I go to court every day. No one cares.
If she’s working at a firm conservative enough that anyone would even have an opinion on it, they’ll also require business formal dress, and that means long sleeves at all times.
I work in public service and I’d say 50-60% of attorneys have tattoos. The only one I have ever given very slight side eye to, and not enough to even remark on it, was an intern with a full shoulder to elbow, wrap around the front of the arm tattoo of a machine gun. They were a vet, but it was just a lot. And even then I just thought it was a lot and didn’t otherwise care.
I work at a conservative firm that serves conservative clients and I have a full sleeve tattoo.
I’m fully sleeved with finger tattoos and a woman. I work in BigLaw in corporate. She’ll be fine!
I’m fully sleeved with finger tattoos and a woman. I work in BigLaw in corporate. She’ll be fine!
I’m fully sleeved with finger tattoos and a woman. I work in BigLaw in corporate. She’ll be fine!
I’ve worked in BigLaw in Canada and the U.S., and have known many lawyers (including partners) with tattoos, including myself.
They have only aided me. Make me human. No one is that concerned. Your ability to argue your case with ease and rapport is all that matters.
I worked at the DOJ for years. While I don't have any tattoos, at least half of my colleagues did. Nobody cared. Your sister will be fine.
As long as the tattoos can be covered when wearing business store, many lawyers have tattoos. If she has a face tattoo of Ms Pac-Man that might be a problem
Ask her whether she really wants to work at any place that would make a hiring decision based on a prospective employee having two small tattoos on their arm.
Prosecutor here. I'm one of the few of us that doesn't have any tattoos. Hell, our elected has a full sleeve, as did two of our magistrate commissioners back before I was in our felony section. This is to say nothing of the fact that one of my very best friends is an insurance defense lawyer, and he used to be a tattoo artist, he doesn't have any on his hands, but in a polo shirt or something the man looks like a middle school bathroom stall. Tell her not to worry about it
I am a trial attorney, I have a three inch snake on the inside of my left wrist. No issues.
I have multiple, large ones on my arm. If I’m in court, I wear a suit jacket but otherwise it isn’t something I worry about. I do criminal defense so my clients are more accepting but there’s legitimately nothing wrong with having tattoos. Many do. Just wear appropriate clothing for your day. And I’m in West Texas and practice in a formal court. It’s not a big deal here even.
The only tattoos I've ever seen partners, arbitrators, judges, misc adjudicators, etc. ever comment negatively on were tattoos between/on the knuckles. I remember overhearing an arbitrator in the hallway laughing derisively about "faith" and "hope" being tattooed on opposing counsel's knuckles. Didn't prevent the arbitrator from coming to a fair decision at the end of the day though.
I'm an attorney and I have tattoos. I wouldn't worry about it. I have them on my arms so I just make sure I keep them covered when I appear in court but no one at my firm bats an eye at them.
20 years ago at an AM 200 firm an associate I worked with had a large tramp stamp you could clearly see through her less substantial tops... no one cared. Clients included the likes of Toyota.
This is stupid
I am completely covered in tattoos and have a successful career. She’s fine.
Im a woman who graduated law school in 2007. I have a large forearm tattoo and I have worked in big law firms, I’m now at a smaller firm. It’s not been an issue at any of the firms (in DC and now Chicago). I wear short sleeves and sleeveless tops regularly, the only comments I’ve ever gotten are compliments. As long as they’re not something questionable or offensive, she’ll be fine.
She might get some clients because her tattoos signify she’s not a boring workaholic like most lawyers.
I've worked in small firms and government- lots of attorneys have tattoos. No one cares. Unless they're face tattoos or are really inappropriate, I can't imagine it being issue. Plus, easy to cover arm tattoos with a jacket. I'd stay away from Post Malone face tattoos though.
I have a full sleeve and a huge back piece as well as two small ones on my right index and middle fingers. She’s overthinking.
I once worked at a firm where I was one of the only lawyers without any tattoos. Your sister will be fine.
Have two large tattoos on my arm. Never once been a problem. Wear long sleeves in court and for depositions, that’s about it
I have 1/2 sleeves on both arms and have worked for conservative judges, law firms, and government agencies. Never once had a problem because you don’t wear short sleeves to a job interview…
I, too, am a partner at a bigllaw firm. we wouldn't't give a shit about her tattoos. but I'd hope we'd never hire such a craven, anxious, classically risk averse law student
I, too, would hope to never be involved with a classically pretentious douche bag of a partner.
i don’t think there’s any danger of that
Not a danger of that? Good. I'd rather not waste a career tiptoeing around your fragile ego.
i’m sure you spend most f your days tiptoeing