Exclusive: Sidley partners ban staff from saying 'thank you'

Emails leaked to RollOnFriday have revealed a Sidley Austin partner scolding a lawyer for saying thank you.

In the emails, New York tax partner Paul Wysocki reprimands a female associate after she acknowledges receipt of a colleague's mark-up. Wysocki tells her that keeping him copied in to thank you emails is "just a waste of my time". Because receiving an email saying thank you and reminding you of the good humour and generous spirit of the young talent that is the future of your firm is a waste of any Sidley partner's time, thank you.

Manners maketh the Wysocki

Wysocki did find time, however, to copy his response to hedge funds partner David Form, who replied that a ban on 'thank you' is official policy at Sidley Austin. Wysocki then forwarded the good news to associates and interns at the firm, and told them not to send any emails saying thank you to anyone, ever, thank you, is that clear.

RollOnFriday has redacted the names of non-partners in the correspondence, but it appears that in his rush to humiliate his polite associate, Wysnocki accidentally copied in a lawyer at Kirkland & Ellis.

To be fair, Wysocki has a point, given that every time anyone says 'thank you' at Sidley it seems to result in three partners stopping what they are doing to cry, beat their fists against the wall and fire off emails to each other, their juniors and lawyers at competing firms.

The firm failed to respond to a request for comment, but those who have enjoyed this story are invited to send a simple email to Mr Wysocki at [email protected] expressing their gratitude for his benevolent good humor. Two words should be sufficient, with the second being "you" and the first, please, starting with "th" not "f". Thank you.

Tip Off ROF

Comments

What an absolute wand! Thank you, Mr Wysocki for being the source of amusement on a Friday.

Why on earth does he say 'going forward' when he means 'from now on'?

So no less than three emails were sent in pursuit of not wasting everyone's time?

What a cheddar! It takes a fraction of second to delete an email. Even less time to simply ignore it.

I think that "going forward" every time I am asked to complete some pointless form on line or subscribe to some e-newsletter I am going to use Mr Wysocki's email - see how much work he gets done then!

Don't do it going forward, but it's fine when sitting still, reversing, crab-walking and in certain (non-advancing) diagonal perambulations.

I agree with the partner. Replying all when your email is only directed at the recipient is a waste of people's time. He's not saying you can't say thanks. Just don't copy the world and his wife. Everyone gets more than enough spam already.

You wouldn't want to waste his time. I mean, if you distracted him, he might do something toe-curlingly embarrassing and unprofessional, like for example sending an email to an unintended recipient at a competitor firm.

Brave, ROF.
He's going to sue your bottom off for the emotional hurt and wasted time caused by this story.
$100 gazillion, minimum.

Anonymous @10.06 - he is though, he says "Going forward, please don't send "thank you" but if you decide to do so (notwithstanding my instructions not to do so) please do not include partners." What a ray of sunshine he must be to have around the office.

Wow there are some colossal bumholes working in this profession aren't there. "No need to copy me in on acknowledgment emails" - fair enough. But copying in all the other gobshites and them all sticking their nasty little oars in about it, and actually having a "policy" about this...I swear to God most of the world has no idea what horrible workplaces some law firms can be.

I try to be charitable. But this rare species of tool lost me at "(notwithstanding my instructions not to do so)".

He is saying you shouldn't say thank you. He says please don't send thank you emails.

What a bell end.

The policy isnt clear. Am I allowed to say thank you if I go on to say something substantive. For example - is it ok to say "Thanks for your email. Receipt confirmed, I will get onto this". Or is it only emails that are restricted to the words "thank you" that are banned to be sent to partners. Query whether an email to a partner saying thank you where the sentiment of thanks is genuine are also banned. Eg if partner says "good job bob" is bob allowed to say "thank you". Or will his good work be undone.

Sorry, I'm with the partner (not a partner myself). Highly irritating having an inbox filled with nonsense. Sure it takes less time to ignore than to make a point, but that doesn't stop the little red light flashing, does it?! THANK YOU.

As my esteemed Senior Partner told me and other new articled clerks on our first day in the profession - 'the world is full of pompous and self important lawyers. Don't be another one.'

Interesting to hear whether SA will back him up or distance themselves from this unnecessary meanness.
Funny that he copied in a K&E lawyer - nasty and incompetent!
Nasty piece of work!

The associate should have emailed back to say "sorry." Cue email from Wysocki about the firm's policy on sorry emails

Come on - this is perfectly reasonable. I get so many emails and you have to open them and then you find it was pointless they were sent to you. Of course thank someone if want to but don't copy the partners in with it. You'd have to be a moron to cc partners when you send an email just to thank someone.

Look at all the salty associates in here. This man is that associate's boss. He pays her bills, and she should be God damn appreciative. I love that some of you internet heroes will be working for me one day. Coming into the interview head down and hands out, so nice and submissive. I'll make you my bitch.

That's New York lawyers all over - they're fire engines going to the wrong fire.

Just reinforces the point that third tier US firms such as this are utterly ghastly places to work. Manners maketh man, as they say at top and even the most second tier firms.

His suit and shirt look very cheap and the tie is horrendous. He must shop at low end stores as they are less likely to thank him for his custom.

I've just been banned from the sandwich shop for telling the sandwich maker not to waste my time by saying thank you. She burst into tears and the other shoppers turned on me like a pack of dogs and threatened me with extreme violence and called me tool, Cnut and twot. I'm going to keep at it though because I too want to be a master of the universe whose word is law.

Go go go gonad