How Do I Handle Holiday Gifts for the Secretary Pool?

Q:  I am a stub-year associate at a mid/big law firm in New York.  I have a cluster of secretaries that I share with the rest of my class, and I want to give them gifts.  How much of a gift would you say is appropriate per secretary?  And is money generally preferred?  I was thinking of getting them actual gifts.

A: Ah, a new twist on the classic “What do I give my secretary for the holidays?” question. And just be warned: For reasons that still escape me, people tend to have intense views on this topic. Intensely hostile, even. I threw the question out this weekend to a few BigLaw colleagues and the answers were all over the place—but were equally, and disturbingly, impassioned.

Some people seem to think that a holiday gift to your secretary is effectively a bonus and that cash is the only way to go.  Others say screw the bonus idea, it’s not the lawyers’ jobs to supplement their secretaries’ incomes, and cash plus a token gift is fine. Not to mention, if you’re giving cash at all, there’s even more debate about how much cash is appropriate—some go for the $100-bucks-for-every-year-of-lawyer-seniority idea, but others (including most people I’ve worked with) keep it in the $100 range, regardless of year. (Although, one story I heard when I asked around involved a bigshot BigLaw partner who tried last year to organize a gift pool for the secretary he shares with three other associates. His idea for the total gift price tag from all four lawyers? $25-$30. The lesson here: If you’re a cheap jackass, don’t broadcast it to your subordinates…)

So, as if there wasn’t enough debate about what’s appropriate to give one secretary, your particular situation is even trickier because (1) you’ve been working for what is essentially a little over six minutes at the firm so far, (2) you have a whole bunch of secretaries instead of one, and (3) the economy blows right now. Relax, though; this actually takes some of the pressure off. There’s really no formula for how much you should give, but the whole gift should probably be in the range of $100, and it’s up to you how to divvy it.  You’re not expected to spend $500 as a stub on gifts for a secretarial pool.

If there’s one main secretary in the cluster who you tend to use, you may want to give him or her $50, and buy a huge gift basket of cookies or some kind of food for the rest to share. If you use everyone equally, the basket still can’t hurt, plus $25-$40 or so to each secretary, depending on how many there are.  If you think cash is too cold, gift cards to places like Starbucks or Bloomies or Best Buy can’t hurt—just watch out with the type of store you choose; make sure it’s not one where $25 can’t even buy you half a sock. You don’t want the “gift” to force the recipient into having to shell out more cash or trek across town to a store they’d never otherwise go to.

And bottom line, remember the good news here: It’s a gift; there’s really no way you can go wrong. If you take the time to get them each something that you wouldn’t mind getting yourself, and you make sure to include a card with a personal note to each one thanking them for helping you learn the ropes of the firm—and shows that you took some time to think of them as individuals—you should be golden.

Good luck…and happy holidays.

Need advice?  Email our Sweet Hot Counsel at counsel@sweethotjustice.com.