ByKat Hours Updated
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Suit of the Week: MaxStudio

For busy working women, the suit is often the easiest outfit to throw on in the morning. In general, this feature is not about interview suits for women, which should be as classic and basic as you get — instead, this feature is about the slightly different suit that is fashionable, yet professional.

It's rare to see a brown suit with a sense of drama, but this heathered wool tweed one from MaxStudio delivers. Love the bloused sleeves and hem, and the lack of a collar. The jacket (MaxStudio Bubble Sleeve Jacket) is $298, and the skirt (MaxStudio Pencil Skirt) is $128.

HEATHERED WOOL TWEED BLOUSON JACKET

(L-5)

Sales of note for 12.5

And some of our latest threadjacks here at Corporette (reader questions and commentary) — see more here!

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97 Comments

  1. That’s really unusual – I like it! Now, I don’t know that I could pull it off, but it definitely inspires me to think more creatively about my suiting options.

  2. Hmmm….not sure about those sleeves. This does have a lot of drama and I could see how someone would pull it off, however, even then I don’t think its something that should be worn to court. More like a client meeting and networking suit in my opinion.

  3. “Dramatic” is definitely the diplomatic word for that suit, I actually like the jacket, but it’s for someone a lot “artsy-er” than me

    1. I LOVE the pencil skirt! But the jacket? FOOEY ON THAT! FOOEY!

      I can NOT wear that jacket to work! FOOEY!

      1. Around here that suit would look funny – also in San Francisco where I go a lot. It would not work. Also, it ould not fit under a coat or raincoat, very important in this part o the world.

        Dress for the job you would like to have – did anyone see the picture of the new head of IBM is yesterday’s paper? Her outfit was not too shabby.

    2. Agreed. In the words of Tim Gunn, “that’s a lot of look.”

      I wish I could pull it off though. And I’m jealous of the gamines who can.

      1. In response to Nevadan: I also noticed Virginia Rometty’s (new IBM CEO) attire yesterday and thought she looks very polished. Also, I wanted to give a quick shout-out to physicist Lisa Randall as she looked fabulous on the Daily Show last night. My first thought when she walked on to the set was that the Corporettes would approve of her outfit!

  4. Oh wow … no, no, no on the jacket. The skirt is cute, but that jacket is just all kinds of wrong.

  5. I love this! It would definitely not be flattering on me, but I would think it was fabulous on the right woman.

    I was really excited about the launch of The Limited’s new plus-size line Eloquii today. Apparently, it got pushed back a week. So disappointing. I understand that they don’t want to launch and have it be a mess, but no one forced them to put a definitive date on it. Don’t promise something you can’t deliver.

  6. Aesthetically, this suit is beautiful. In everyday life, I don’t know if I’d wear it. That being said, I want that skirt, especially because it has a double back vent instead of a center slit. We are finally approaching the perfect weather for brown tweed, swoon!

  7. Cool suit! Need to be tall and thin, but I could see it working.

    Product review threadjack:

    A while ago someone posted links to the yellow/blue penguin shirt and the constellation shirt at Anthropologie. I ordered both and they finally came this week. They are both beautiful and fit me (broadshouldered and longwaisted) really well. They are both made from a thin but not see-through silk.

    The constellation shirt (a very dark blue with a white/cream constellation print) is easily office-appropriate with a cardigan or jacket over it. The penguins are a bit more difficult, since both the blue and yellow are REALLY bright and it has a weird kind of retro collar. I think I can still get away with it, though, if I wear it with a conservative dark pencil skirt and a cream or grey cardigan.

    There were still plenty of the constellation shirts at the Anthro near me!

    1. I have a similar body type and bought the constellation shirt too! I love it. I really wanted the penguin one, but can’t see spending $158 on such a distinct shirt.

    2. I got the constellation one, too! Short-waisted, heavier on top, and it still looks good on me. TTS if anyone is thinking of ordering. (Meaning I’m between a 6 and an 8, ordered both, kept the 6, but could have gone either way.)

  8. I love the idea, but it’s kind of the suit equivalent of the “puffy shirt,” isn’t it?

  9. This is a real and serious question, no snarking/trolling here:

    For those who observe Halloween/have children that trick or treat: What is a non-offensive way to communicate to the neighborhood that you don’t participate? I really hate turning off the lights and pretending I’m not home and the constant door-ringing drives me up the wall. Is putting a sign up the way to go? That seems really off-putting for some reason. What do you all suggest? (Background: I don’t observe due to religious reasons and I live in a house)

    1. Our church always has a Fall Festival celebration on Halloween. I take our kids to that, so we really, truly are not home when people in our neighborhood come trick or treating. I leave the porch light on and put a bucket of candy on the front steps. When we get home, all the candy is always gone … and I figure the people who come after the bucket is empty just figure we’re not at home but at least made an effort.

    2. Ru, I don’t think you “must” evacuate your home just because other people are celebrating, but would you consider that as an option? Maybe a late mani/pedi appointment, or a dinner out, or some other fun alternative? I agree that a sign, no matter how friendly, that says “Go away” might be off-putting. And if you made something up (e.g., sick, sleeping, etc) you might get some teenagers who ring just to be PITAs or you might have some neighbors worried for you. I personally think just spending the night doing something enjoyable would be the easiest solution. Alternatively, what about an “Already Out of Candy!” sign? Or, do you wish to specifically communicate that you do not participate?

      1. Hmmm, maybe an “Already Out of Candy” sign could work (which would be true, I typically finish all the candy at home). I’m with you, I could just spend the night out….but I want to stay home! With my family! I know that this is a non-issue but I’m curious as to what would appear offensive (or not).

        1. Ru, I’m sorry if this comes off as stupid or insensitive, I sincerely don’t mean it that way, but does just putting out candy for kids that do come have to mean that you are celebrating the holiday? To me, celebrating means dressing up, or going trick or treating, or decorating, etc. Having candy is more like acknowledging that others’ celebrate a holiday and accomodating that fact, no? You could even just leave a bucket outside, and attach a sign saying “please take one only” so you don’t actually have to do the handing out bit. And as a bonus, if the candy runs out, everyone will just assume you’ve run out and move on to the next house. Just an idea. I could be wildly wrong here …

          1. No offense taken. I suppose everybody interprets “participating” or “celebrating” differently. Some do give out candy, others don’t. We just choose not to.

        2. I mean this in the kindest way possible, but lying/deceiving children with such a sign strikes me as much more un-Islamic than handing out candy would be.

          2. Why is it deception? If she doesn’t have candy to give to children, she doesn’t have candy. I don’t give candy out at Halloween because I am not a holiday person. I think it’s a fine excuse to let people know you won’t have any candy.

            When I was growing up, we had a Halloween potluck block party every year and it was pretty much understood that the people who didn’t show up probably weren’t going to be giving out candy. On other blocks, after a few years, all the kids knew that X and Y houses never gave out candy. It may be that by this point they’ve gotten the point.

          3. Perhaps. You are entitled to your opinion of what is Islamic, as I am to mine.

            Sigh, I know my question is odd. I was born and raised in this country but sometimes issues like this stump me. I just want to do me without offending others as much as I reasonably can.

          4. The question isn’t that odd – Honestly, you really don’t need any excuse to opt out of Halloween. If you don’t want to participate, then don’t – you really aren’t that odd for not participating. Anyone who finds it “offensive” that you don’t put out candy for Halloween has a skewed vision of the world. Or is a dentist needing some cavities to fill.

          5. Saying you already ran out of candy when you in fact never bought any and never intended to hand any out is clearly a deception, if not an outright lie.

    3. In our neighborhood, you just leave the porch light off.

      Alternatively, I’d put up a sign that says “No candy!” If you felt like that was too blunt, you could draw a spider web on it or something.

      1. In my neighborhood, leaving a light off is not enough. Parents let the kids go trick-or-treating by themselves and the kids, of course, do not know or care about the conventions.
        I put up a sign – pumpkin in a red circle, crossed diagonally. I don’t care if it offends anyone – I am not the one trespassing.

        I am not really religious, but today’s interpretation of Halloween for kids ticks me off: dress up in store-bought costumes and go collect bad sweets? Seriously?

    4. the traditional way to let people know you are not participating is to turn off the front lights and have no decorations. Im afraid that putting up a sign might get eggs or pumpkins smashed on your front steps.

    5. You don’t have to pretend you’re not home. Just turn off your porch light. You can also unplug/de-attach your doorbell buzzer for one night if it will bother you. If you’re comfortable leaving out a bucket of candy, feel free, but you don’t have to. The kids know that a dark porch light means no candy, and they are so sugar-focused that they aren’t going to waste their time on a house that won’t give them what they want.

      1. This. Porch light off and no decorations. Maybe close the curtains that face the street. They’ll get the hint.

    6. when i was growing up, the convention was “Porch Light On = Halloween Candy ; Porch Light Off = We Are Not Participating, Do Not Knock.” is that just me?

      So, if that is the case, you don’t have to turn off all the lights and pretend, but you just turn off your porch light, and people should get the message.

      If that does not work, I agree a sign seems kind of extreme. What about just taping over your doorbell, or just a tiny notice on your doorbell saying “out of order” or something? That way they won’t know it’s Halloween specific, but they won’t drive you crazy w/ the doorbell. Of course, there still might be a lot of people knocking, but if that’s easier to ignore than the doorbell…

      oh, and thanks for reminding me that I need to figure out the same thing. I moved into my own apartment this year for the first time, have always had roommates that wanted to hand out candy so I didn’t have to deal with it. But I don’t really like participating, either.

    7. I live in a big trick or treat neighborhood and I turn off the lights when I’m out of candy. Only a few drunk college students have ever rung the bell after that point. Pretty much everyone else gets the message.

      I know you said you don’t want to turn off the lights and pretend you’re not home, but that is really the way we communicate “not open for trick or treating” in our culture. Can you just turn off the porch light and lights at the front of your house?

      I honestly think putting up a sign that says you don’t participate or that you have no candy is just asking to get egged.

      1. Good point. We do turn off the lights and keep the curtains closed but you can still see the light peeking out from behind the curtains. Eh. It’s only once a year.

        1. Don’t worry about it, plenty of people don’t give out candy for all kinds of reasons, no one should care. I’d just try to make the front of your house as dark as you can to minimize hopeful attempts.

        2. We live where there are few children so it is not worthwhile to buy candy. We turn out the lights, lock up the house, and go out to dinner and a movie.

    8. For what it’s worth, it would be hard to argue modern Halloween as a religious holiday. It started as the night before All Saints day, but became just a fun tradition for kids and families. Now it seems to get more attention than ever before, even from adults, and that trend is not always attractive.

      Options: turn off the lights in the front of the house and outside. Or, just be somewhere else.

    9. We’ve done different things in the past – handed out candy even though we don’t celebrate, pretended we weren’t home w/ lights off, and done absolutely nothing beyond turning off the porch lights. I don’t think we ever had any trouble with just turning off porch lights, but we also don’t live in a big trick or treating neighbourhood. I’d lean towards just putting out a bowl of candy outside and not answering the door, but I definitely understand not wanting to participate even to that extent.

      This year I’m unsure what to do, being in an apartment (with a bunch of families with young kids) rather than a house. Do people typically trick or treat inside their own apt buildings? Should I buy some candy just in case, or just not open the door if it rings?

      1. People often trick or treat inside their own apartment building and those of others, too (assuming they can get in). My apartment building has a sign up sheet for those who want to receive trick or treaters, and unless you sign up no one comes to bother you. Maybe check if you have something similar?

        On an aside, I usually buy a small bag of candy just in case, and then bring it to work when no one breaks the rules to bother me. I find that someone is always happy to eat it and it makes the week after halloween a fun one in my office.

    10. Well, my first response is to find a way that you can observe it in a totally secular way, so as not to disappoint small children. I mean, due to my religious beliefs, I am not cool with paganism, but distributing candy to trick or treaters is really, really, really far removed from the pagan roots of the holiday. If you would attend an office Christmas party even though you’re Muslim, I don’t see why you wouldn’t distribute candy.

      That aside, I think the best solution is to not be home on Halloween – you don’t have to pretend not to be home if you’re not there. Establish your own tradition, the equivalent of Jewish people going for Chinese on Christmas. Halloween can be an annual Muslima Movie Night or something.

      A hybrid solution would be to leave some candy out on the porch for kids to take, but not actually answer the door. Not sure if this would still violate your religious principles.

      1. Small children can handle the disappointment of one house with no candy. I promise it won’t be emotionally scarring.

      2. J, what religious belief and/or expertise do you have that makes you an authority on how Ru lives her life?

        1. Personally, I always find it interesting to discuss what people can and can’t do in terms of their religious beliefs, and why they feel that way. It’s not saying that someone’s an awful person for having some sort of unusual (not that Ru’s is particularly unusual, I guess) belief, just that it’s interesting to see how people examine it, why they disagree, that sort of thing. J didn’t claim any expertise, just gave her thought process.

          I didn’t know that Muslims (or, at least some Muslims, I guess), don’t celebrate Halloween. I’m interested to understand why, and whether that belief is common. (In my Bible Belt, there are some Christians who don’t celebrate Halloween (though a whole lot more who do, but make sure not to mention it at church); I’ve always thought that was strange, but that doesn’t mean that I have a problem with them for it.

          1. Yeah. One of my religious in-laws was telling me about how Halloween started with a pagan holiday. I said something like, yeah, Samhain (NOT pronounced the way it looks, btw–you can’t sound it out), and got a completely blank look.

            But she still celebrates Christmas…

        2. WTF? Ru POSTED A QUESTION. I am responding to a question that SHE asked. Go snark somewhere else.

    11. In our neighborhood, if your porch light is out, you’re not participating. That said, one year when I didn’t participate, one little boy came up to my door and rang the doorbell. I ignored it at first, but he kept ringing it and ringing it, probably because my doorbell plays a distinctive little tune. I could hear him and his friend laughing on the porch. I finally threw the door open and yelled, I’m sorry, I DON”T have any candy, I couldn’t make it to the store, please stop! I think I scared the pee out of those 2 little boys, they ran like crazy. I felt kind of bad, but no one else rang the bell, and those little boys had a good Halloween scary story to tell about the crazy lady with the funny doorbell.

    12. Related complaint – I live in a four family house, on the second floor in the rear. The family on the first floor front always decorates for Halloween and then is never there to give out candy. So people always ring all the doorbells all afternoon/night, but because I’m on the second floor in the back, I can’t make it downstairs before they give up and leave. I put out a bowl of candy last year and some tweens/teens took the whole thing within 10 minutes. ARRRRGGGHhhh. /rant.

    13. Hi Ru–this is curious to me. I’m Muslim, and I know a lot of Muslims families, and yet I’ve never heard of a Muslim not celebrating Halloween. It has never occurred to me to think of it as religious holiday. What religion would it even be celebrating? It’s more like Thanksgiving/Fourth of July to me–an American holiday, not a religious one. And, with that being said, I don’t even think Halloween is a “holiday” as such–it’s just something fun for kids to do.

      I apologize for turning this into a religious debate, I don’t mean for it to be. But when one is part of a religious minority who is constantly misunderstood, I don’t think it helps matters to “invent” rules that further ostracize oneself from one’s community. I prefer to focus my efforts on things that I KNOW Islam requires–Zakat, fasting, etc.

      Just my two cents.

  10. Threadjack – career advice needed please.

    In May of this year, I started a new job in a department I’d always wanted to work in. It was a junior role, but I took it expecting that I could work hard and advance through the department. I went through an exhaustive process to get it – multiple interviews, a case study project, and a final presentation of said project.

    After I’d already accepted the job, I found out I would have a counterpart on the East Coast, doing the exact same job as mine. It didn’t seem like a huge deal at the time.

    Now, I’ve been in the role for 6 months, and I’m bored to tears. There is simply not enough work to split between the two of us. I’ve been proactive in looking for more work to take on and honest with my boss about my work load, but nothing seems to help. It’s become incredibly frustrating.

    Last month, I went on a business trip with someone senior to me in the department, and she was surprisingly honest with me. Basically, she told me that they initially only were only going to hire one person for the role – me. Then, long story short, they ‘created’ this East Coast/West Coast split when my East Coast counterpart, who’s family friends with an SVP at our company, needed a new role. So, due to corporate politics, this amazing job that seemed like such a great opportunity is now pretty much half a job and I find myself bored and unfulfilled an awful lot.

    I have no idea what to do here. When I have work to do, I enjoy it, and I would like to advance within the department. However, I am afraid that I’ll never have enough work to demonstrate what I can really accomplish, let alone fill a whole 40+ hour workweek. Help please?

    1. Is my mind playing tricks on me, or have you posted on this terrible situation before?

      1. I tried to post over the weekend in the Open Thread, but it kept telling me my comment was in moderation and then when I went back later, I couldn’t find it in the thread. This was when Kat was having all of the server issues.

        My apologies if it posted twice!

        1. Oh man, I am clearly on Corporette way too often. I can’t remember what I had for dinner two days ago, but I remember your post. No need to apologize!

    2. I don’t know what field you are in, but what about doing some research/writing/publishing?

    3. A few quick thoughts . . . first, you have only been at this for 6 months. It may take up to a year for you to get in gear, so I wouldn’t throw in the towel just yet. As people see your strengths on the tasks you do complete, you will start to become the go-to person for those tasks and your workload will increase. Second, if you are secure in the position and don’t think that they will let you go anytime soon, then this is a huge opportunity for you to get paid full time wages for working a part time gig. (If you think they may let you go, then you should be discreetly looking for another job.) Things to think about are: What can you be doing with the extra hours around the office that will advance your career? Could you be writing articles for trade journals? Could you be brainstorming ways to assist your colleagues who are busy? Could you be taking on those drudge tasks that no one wants to do but that eventually need to get done? You may have already started doing these things, but I think you should view this as an opportunity to take charge of your own career and carve out a niche for yourself.

  11. I love this and would totally wear it, as a suit and as separates.

  12. Cool suit – you’d have to have the right build and attitude to carry it off but it’s nice to see a suit that isn’t just a feminized version of a man’s suit.

    Threadjack – I recently started wearing longer necklaces (opera length) and while I love the look they add to an outfit it drives me nuts how they tend to migrate and wind up looping over one side of my chest or the other. Any tricks or suggetions for keeping a long necklace centered?

    1. I wear them just about every day. I find the ones with a pendant or a locket or some other geegaw at the bottom stay in place better than the ones that are uniform throughout. I even have a clip-on pendant I put on some of my necklaces for that very purpose. Hope this helps.

    2. Re threadjack….I thought it was just me. I love the longer necklaces but I am horrified how they “migrate” to one side. My reaction is usually an eye roll and a mental “really. REALLY?”

  13. Interesting suit! I don’t hate it, though not sure if I’d ever wear it myself. I think it depends on your personality to some extent. Plus its very memorable and it only works part of the year so not sure I’d want to spend the money. Not to mention that it may look dated rather quickly.
    On the other hand, both pieces are awesome separates. I think the jacket would look fantastic over jeans or perhaps over a dark sheath dress with some great boots. Hmm… Maybe it will get really marked down since it’s so one of a kind and then I will buy it!

  14. I just got an email from a client in response to something I had sent him with this as the only text: “TBOK”

    Does this mean anything to anyone? I googled it and found nothing. Just want to make sure it’s not some important legal acronym that I should know before asking for clarification…

        2. Oh wait, I think that’s

          IKR?

          (I was too lazy for the question mark, apparently)

    2. I have had to do this so many times…started working with military people and the acronyms are ridiculous! it is a whole other language, FYSA (for your situational awareness).

  15. Love a good brown tweed suit, but I find as a very tall woman (over 6 feet) that wearing this much bulk above the waist elicits more “wow you’re tall” comments. And I second the comment above that this is what I would wear to defend Jack Sparrow for one of his many shenanigans (e.g., The Case of “Where Has All The Rum Gone?”).

  16. Thank you to all of the Corporettes who commented on my running thread a couple posts ago! I live way out in the sticks for now and with the time change, it’s pitch black when I get home, so I have to stick to the treadmill (no real shoulders on the road to speak of) except for on weekends. You all made me so excited to do this!

  17. I would definitely wear this suit, even to court on non-trial days. Since it’s a novelty suit that could not be worn too often, it would have to be significantly marked down though.

  18. I just impulse bought a knit dress online from BR despite the fact that they usually don’t fit super well. Darn you, 40% off coupon code.. I’m reassuring myself that I can return for free if I want to.

  19. That jacket is pretty sweet. Like some others, don’t think I’d wear it as part of a suit. I’m thinking with some cream colored, straight leg cords or with the hot denim pencil skirt that I just picked up.

  20. Threadjack: Ladies, I have a conundrum. I’ve found myself in a situation where I have a boss whom I work very closely with (same office and everything) who wants to be VERY involved in my personal life. Its clear from her die-hard attitude toward her career that she doesnt have many friends outside of work, and as her employee she uses me as a make-shift “friend”. On work errands together, she tricks me into going to the mall so we can shop, and she has somehow gotten me to spill juicy details about everything from my boyfriend to roommates. Dont get me wrong, I see that by letting a little information about me out I opened the flood gates, but shouldnt there be *some* kind of division between work and play? Last week, she asked me 3 days in advanced to work on Saturday (meaning she asked me on Wednesday of that same week), and when I told her I had plans to go to a theme park, she got angry and said that from now on all of my weekend plans must run through her. Doesnt that seem a little far? I was trying to keep a Halloween party Im throwing secret from her, but because of this new “rule” I apparently have to tell her that too. What should I do? Is there anything I can do to hint that I dont want her to know or be a part of my personal life? It may help you all to know that Im her executive assistant.

    1. It is totally bizarre that you would have to get approval for your weekend plans. Devil Wears Prada, much? If you are expected to work on weekends, then she should just expect you to cancel your plans. She doesn’t need to know what they are, unless it’s something really important like a relative’s wedding or going out of town.

      Unfortunately, I think you have to stop telling her anything about your personal life. And when she asks, shrug it off with an “Oh, nothing’s new really” and stick to it – repeatedly. She is being totally inappropriate, and all you can do to try to get her out of your business is to not feed her curiosity. Then, maybe she will get bored with you and stop using you as her social outlet.

      Also, start looking for a new job ASAP. This woman sounds needy and crazy. Two things that are very difficult to deal with when that person is your boss.

    2. This is bizarre. You should send this question to Ask A Manager … she always gives excellent advice about weird work situations.

    3. “a little far?” Um, no. It is way, way, far past the line of what’s appropriate. Do you think that it would work to use the Miss Manners advice of just repeating “I’m sorry, that simply won’t be possible,” if she asks you to come in on a weekend or makes an unreasonable demand like having to run all your weekend plans past her? If she asks why it won’t be possible, you just repeat, “sorry, but it simply won’t be possible.”

      And start looking for a new job in the meantime.

    4. This sounds crazy to me! So if you plan on drinks with friends on sat, you need to check with her? She is out of line.

      1. Thanks GRA, Emme Gee, and anon, your comments made me feel much better. At least I know my feeling that this woman’s demands are crazy is normal! I live in a state that is non-union, Im this woman’s *only* employee, and there’s no HR department to go to. It really feels like I either accept my job or move on, there’s no in between. But I recently tried the “nothings new, really” and it seemed to work, until this whole new rule about having to run my weekends by her. I tend to vent on my boyfriend, and he gets tired of it haha. I will definitely send an email in to Ask A Manager, though! Thanks ladies :)

  25. Hey lawyer-chicks, any thoughts on how to deal with hours on a project going high? I’m working on a legal question now, and the research on it has really gotten out of hand. The partner was the one who set it up, and I don’t know what, if anything, he told him to expect as far as expenses, but it’s becoming increasingly complex (it’s a federal administrative law issue, and it’s been around forever and there are no real, hard and fast standards out there). Client is a small business owner and I know that things are tight, so I keep working myself over the fact that it is taking SO LONG, but, at the same time, there are a lot of aspects and I don’t want to miss anything. There’ve been a lot of false starts, too, where I find something, research it for an hour before finding out that it really doesn’t apply, that sort of thing, which, of course, seems hugely wasteful in retrospect, but I couldn’t tell at the time I was doing it.

    So, I’m really, really having to fight the urge to just cut my own hours. The idea of getting called out for charging too much makes me really nervous for some reason- like getting reprimanded. (I know its common in biglaw, but my firm is really laid back and doesn’t have much in the way of policies for that sort of thing.) I have to admit, too, that it still weirds me out how much my (billable) time is worth, even though it’s not that much by lawyer standards, it still sounds like an enormous amount of money to me. Am I crazy?

    1. My husband is a partner in a 3-person firm, and managing time/costs for small business clients is a BIG part of his job. Based on your description of the situation it seems likely the bill will ultimately be trimmed before it goes to the client. So rather than hand your billing partner something that may seem unreasonable at first glance, I’d recommend talking to him about it, tell him what you told us here, and you can work out some plan to address the situation. Depends on how your firm works, but just because the bill is trimmed for the client doesn’t necessarily mean you won’t get credit for the written-off hours (or some portion of them).

    2. Don’t cut your hours (ever), but do check in with the partner. Tell him/her how many hours you’ve worked and what you’ve done, and then ask him/her how many more hours you should devote to the question. That way if the bill’s too high, it’s on the partner rather than you. Plus, you don’t know the billing arrangement. Maybe the partner agreed to reduce your rate or for a flat fee for this project — even knowing how long it would take — just to lure or keep the client. I find in these situations there are too many variables for someone like you to make the judgment on your own (not your fault!), so the best thing to do is keep the partner informed. The bonus is that the partner may even be able to steer you in the right direction with the research.

    3. Oh, I probably should have mentioned that I am pretty much calling the shots on this one- I’ll probably be the one who signs off on the billing, and I’m the one presenting the case. (I’m the only associate, and they pretty much give me free reign.) I know the arrangement (hourly), just not the expectations. Partner’s been pretty clear that he knows nothing about this area of law.

      But I’ll mention to him that they seem high and at least see what he says. Thanks!

    4. I would DEFINITELY talk to Partner about this one. It’s probably an instance where you’ll want to zero bill your time — log your time so that you get the credit for the hours, but zero bill it to the client so they don’t have to pay for it. We do this a lot when there is a lot of “waste” involved (research with dead ends, discovery that took forever because the client didn’t get us what we needed when we needed it, etc). Often it’s through no fault of your own, which is why you zero bill v. cut your hours.

      I would be very hesitant to actually slice your hours: you may as well not have worked at all then. Harsh. Especially when it’s fairly clear you are on point and doing what you are “suppose” to be doing.

      1. I like this zero bill thing. I think it is important to show the client the work that was done even if you make the call that the client should not get charged for it.

  27. Hmm…don’t like the short poofball sleeves. It makes the wrist and hand look like they were screwed onto the jacket sleeve.

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