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

[Cohen, Gerald Leonard]

Yes, I guess "Law Offices of..." does sound more impressive. In this vein, so does "suites": "Law Office Suites" or "Law Firm Suites" sounds much tonier than a mere "Law Office."
Gerald Cohen 
________________________________________
From: American Dialect Society [ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU] on behalf of Baker, John [JBAKER at STRADLEY.COM]
Sent: Monday, August 10, 2015 7:51 PM
To: ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU
Subject: Re: Media inquiry: "Law Offices of", why always plural?

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Sender:       American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
Poster:       "Baker, John" <JBAKER at STRADLEY.COM>
Subject:      Re: Media inquiry: "Law Offices of", why always plural?
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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?
>>=20
>> ------------------------------------------------------------------------=
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>> I've just received the media inquiry below and don't have an answer.
>> Would someone on our listserv perhaps have a suggestion?
>> >> Gerald Cohen
>> >> *   *  *   *   *

>> From: Philip Johnson [Philip_Johnson at dailyjournal.com]
>> Sent: Monday, August 10, 2015 1:29 PM
>> To: Cohen, Gerald Leonard
>> Subject: Media inquiry
>>
>> Sir,
>>
>> I write for a legal publication and have a question on the origin of the
>> term "Law Offices of" Why is it always law officeS, the plural?
>> What if it is just one room? Wouldn't that make it a law office? A lot of
>> solo 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'm wondering if there is a story behind that plural form?
>> Phil Johnson
>> Reporter, Northern California Superior Courts
>> 415-296-2445
>>
>> ------------------------------------------------------------
>> The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org
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