Law Firm's Libraries To Become Museums

“The creative law firm will emerge the successful law firm.” Such were the words chosen by Latham & Watkins LLP’s managing partner Charles “Chip” Phillips earlier this week when he announced the megafirm’s plans to revamp its office libraries into modern day legal museums. Latham plans to transform these often unused spaces into exhibit halls that will “celebrate the old-fashioned practice of law that existed before the dawn of the digital age.”

“Most law firms don’t have a plan for what to do with the mountains of books and journals that they have compiled over the years,” explained Phillips. “We decided to turn this challenge into an opportunity to bring clients from all walks of life to our offices to see the way law was practiced in eras gone by.” Latham plans to make its museums an interactive experience. For example, Westlaw and LexisNexis have signed up to provide a “hands-on exhibit” where visitors will be timed on how long it takes them to find a case supporting an argument in “the books” versus an online search. A display called “Getting a Little Dewey Eyed” will reflect on how the Dewey Decimal system helped spark the growth of the legal industry. And visitors will have the opportunity to sit in chairs and flip through legal treatises like attorneys did before becoming latched to a keyboard and monitor.

Latham currently plans to offer existing and prospective clients free tours while charging the public $5 per person to take a walk through the firm’s former library space. The hope is that the entry fee for visitors and general donations will help cover the operating costs of these legal library museums. The firm is also considering allowing individuals to check out books like an actual library with the hopes that when they go home and read through a particular treatise they might spot a legal issue they have and then come back to the firm to request legal assistance.

Library staff will receive training in museum operations and tour guidance before this transition is finalized. “You know how much everyone’s enjoying that TV show ‘Mad Men’ on AMC?” explained an over-excited Chip Phillips. “Well, that made it clear to us that the past is important. We want to keep the memory of the golden legal ages alive. In fact, we might even have to double our library, I mean museum, staff. The folks we have aren't exactly used to putting in a full day, if you know what I mean.”

Despite Phillips' obvious enthusiasm, it still remains to be seen whether other firms will follow Latham's approach to creative use of useless office space.