Things Lawyers Like – Talking on Speaker Phone

It’s a well known fact that lawyers like the sound of their own voice. More importantly, lawyers like times when other people hear the sound of their voice. It should not be surprising therefore to learn that most lawyers’ favorite invention is the speaker phone. This device permits a lawyer to turn an everyday phone call into a public display of oration. In other words, it’s a lawyer’s dream come true.

That is, it’s a dream come true as long as it contains the ultra important mute button. Participating in conference calls via a muted speaker phone allows lawyers to multi-task and be otherwise unproductive during the most boring of conference calls. The muted speaker phone call allows the lawyer to listen to a client’s input while simultaneously shouting a lunch order down the hall to an assistant, keeping up with reality TV gossip online or instant messaging with last weekend’s date. The best part is that a muted lawyer can do all of this while keeping up appearances of being fully engaged. Don’t want to deal with that first year associate trolling outside your office? Easy, just make the “shhhh” sign to indicate that you’re on a call.

Lawyers also know that a speaker phone conversation with the door closed can ward off almost any and every unwanted visitor. That’s why lawyers will opt for speaker phone with almost any call, be it work, friends or family. Using speaker phone to provide a veil of privacy allows the lawyer to get personal priorities in order behind a closed door. So consider yourself duly warned – if you pass another lawyer’s office where the door is closed and you hear a phone call in process, enter at your own risk. You just might walk in on a lawyer clipping his toe nails or working his abs.