There is usually a fair amount of politics around who gets which office at a law firm. Sometimes, a dispute arises as to prime locations within an office, and other times, attorneys may fight over the size of individual offices. One of the most interesting situations occurs when a retiring partner needs to give up a prized office so that an up-and-coming lawyer can relish the trappings of success at a firm. With few exceptions, it makes sense that retiring partners would give up their offices to make room for younger lawyers on the rise.

I used to work for a partner that had an amazing office. The office was probably the second-largest space at that firm. Only the office of the managing partner was larger. You could tell that this partner had occupied this particular office for many years. The walls were adorned with old pictures and mementos of the lawyer and some of the cases he had worked on throughout the decades.

However, this particular partner got to a point where he would only work at the office a day or two a week, and he spent his other time on different pursuits. Indeed, it was extremely common to walk by the office without the lights on, which was some kind of reminder that this partner did not show up that often. As a result, a prime office (that the firm was presumably paying a hefty amount of money for) was going unused most of the week.

I was only an associate at this shop, so I was not privy to discussions among the partners about who should occupy which individual office. However, one day, I came to work, and I noticed that the majority of this partner’s stuff had been moved into a smaller office only a little bigger than the one I occupied at the firm. The possessions barely fit the smaller space, and it was almost comedic to look at the cluttered walls and desk of this partner, since he had not yet decided which items would be a permanent fixture of his new space.

I could tell that this partner was bitter about his new situation. His new space was not nearly as grand as his old office, and he probably thought it was an insult to be office demoted in this way. Indeed, this partner worked less and less at the office until he eventually left the firm altogether.

However, I think it is important that senior lawyers relinquish their offices in a number of circumstance. If a partner is no longer arriving at an office as much as in the past, either due to their age or changing interests, they should be open to relinquishing their offices. Seeing a dark office lay unoccupied can impact morale at a law firm, and a partner who does not even come to the office often should not miss their coveted office too much.

Moreover, as partners move out of roles since they will be retiring soon, they should also be open to giving up their prized offices. Moving to a more modest space can mentally prepare someone to leave a law firm, and this can serve as a vote of confidence in the next generation of law firm leaders. In addition, occupying less space could be a good cost-saving measure that can benefit the bottom lines of many law firms.

All told, it can be awkward and indeed painful for some senior lawyer to give up their offices. However, this is an important process, and law firms should have set policies about this issue so lawyers are not surprised when it comes time to downsize their spaces.

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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