With Zoom calls becoming an increasingly common way to engage in business, so too has humor around Zoom calls grown. A recent Saturday Night Live sketch about Zoom included a couple of references to people not wearing pants, for instance. And while there’s certainly a case to be made for a more relaxed dress code for Zoom — which may have implications for office attire down the road — that might not apply as much to lawyers making (virtual) court appearances.
The Associated Press reports that the Honorable Dennis Bailey — a judge based in Broward Couty, Florida — recently wrote a scathing letter about the presentation of some of the lawyers who had appeared before him via Zoom. Bailey’s letter was published by the Weston Bar Association, and abounds with frustration regarding some of the particulars of the current situation. “One comment that needs sharing and that is the judges would appreciate it if the lawyers and their clients keep in mind these Zoom hearings are just that: hearings,” Bailey wrote. “They are not casual phone conversations.”
Bailey goes on to enumerate some particularly egregious behavior, in his mind:
We’ve seen many lawyers in casual shirts and blouses, with no concern for ill-grooming, in bedrooms with the master bed in the background, etc. One male lawyer appeared shirtless and one female attorney appeared still in bed, still under the covers. And putting on a beach cover-up won’t cover up you’re poolside in a bathing suit.
The Associated Press’s article notes that Bailey is aware of Zoom’s limitations — in other words, he’s fine with using it for hearings, but has little interest in using it for a trial. And his frustration is understandable: in issues where legal matters are at stake, attire is a little more important than in other walks of life.
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