[Ads-l] Media inquiry: "Law Offices of", why always plural?

Baker, John JBAKER at STRADLEY.COM
Tue Aug 11 00:51:04 UTC 2015


As a lawyer myself, albeit one who is not a sole practitioner, I think that is right. Someone practicing alone is going to want to make it seem like he or she has a more substantial operation. 

Note that in fact it is not always plural. There are many "Law Office of" practices. 


John Baker



Sent from my iPad

> On Aug 10, 2015, at 8:38 PM, Jonathan Lighter <wuxxmupp2000 at GMAIL.COM> wrote:
> 
> More is better.
> 
> JL
> 
> On Mon, Aug 10, 2015 at 3:57 PM, Cohen, Gerald Leonard <gcohen at mst.edu>
> wrote:
> 
>> ---------------------- Information from the mail header
>> -----------------------
>> Sender:       American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
>> Poster:       "Cohen, Gerald Leonard" <gcohen at MST.EDU>
>> Subject:      Media inquiry: "Law Offices of", why always plural?
>> 
>> -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>> 
>> I've just received the media inquiry below and don't have an answer.=0A=
>> Would someone on our listserv perhaps have a suggestion?=0A=
>> =0A=
>> Gerald Cohen=0A=
>> =0A=
>> *   *  *   *   *=0A=
>> =0A=
>> From: Philip Johnson [Philip_Johnson at dailyjournal.com]=0A=
>> Sent: Monday, August 10, 2015 1:29 PM=0A=
>> To: Cohen, Gerald Leonard=0A=
>> Subject: Media inquiry=0A=
>> =0A=
>> Sir,=0A=
>> =0A=
>> I write for a legal publication and have a question on the origin of the
>> te=
>> rm =93Law Offices of =85.=94. Why is it always law officeS, the plural?
>> Wha=
>> t if it is just one room? Wouldn=92t that make it a law office? A lot of
>> so=
>> lo attorneys advertise as having Law Offices, and I imagine them going
>> back=
>> and forth between dimly lit rooms to read legal texts and ponder deeply.
>> I=
>> =92m wondering if there is a story behind that plural form?=0A=
>> =0A=
>> Phil Johnson=0A=
>> Reporter, Northern California Superior Courts=0A=
>> 415-296-2445=0A=
>> =
>> 
>> ------------------------------------------------------------
>> The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org
> 
> 
> 
> -- 
> "If the truth is half as bad as I think it is, you can't handle the truth."
> 
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> 

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