Legal Organizational Culture

Interning at a law firm involves working at two different site locations that have two organizational structures that are quite different. The main location where I spend the majority of my time is the office. The organizational structure there is a simple one, because there are only two employees, my supervisor, Roger, who is a general practice attorney, and myself. In the office, Roger expects me to be attentive when he is teaching and work hard when I am assigned a task. The firm prides itself on being meticulous and giving every client the service and defense that is necessary to help their case or complete their civil actions. Communication in the office is relatively informal, both between myself and Roger, as well as the dialogue between us and clients. The informality does not take away the seriousness and focus that it takes to effectively research and put together a case. The matters that we deal with are incredibly important to people’s lives and not addressing the work with a serious and determined attitude would be doing both the clients and the industry a disservice.  The environment that one is exposed to when stepping into the office for a consultation is perfect for a small town. The environment is welcoming, informal, and familiar, all of which are qualities that make small town citizens comfortable. The other site location is the court house. The values of the court are different than those of the firm. The court exists simply to enact justice and settle disputes. My job during court visits is merely to observe the proceedings and establish connections with the other members of the court. The only things that matter are the facts and how the law is interpreted. The court room environment is formal, for the most part, and requires everyone in attendance to behave with respect and dignity. That being said, the members of the court, from the judges, to the officers, to the clerks, and even other lawyers, are all incredibly nice and treat each other like they would a friend. The interactions I have seen between these members of the court behind the scenes has all been surprisingly informal, but this informality allows everyone to be comfortable and enjoy the place where they spend a large portion of their time.