Law firms are making their e-mark on the holiday season

Dec 16th, 2009 by Mark Cohen

As an eco-friendly measure — and by “eco” I mean it both in the ecological and economical sense — a growing (more green imagery) number of law firms have ditched paper holiday cards for e-cards. What better way to serve the twin goals of saving on postage and saving a tree?

Apoplectic reactions of Hallmark executives aside, I actually think the e-card as a holiday greeting is not a bad idea. Firms like Maslon and Winthrop & Weinstine go through the time and effort having something designed that is creative and tailored. (To see the Maslon holiday e-card, click here; to see the Winthrop & Weinstine holiday e-card, click here.) While these firms produce some classy pieces, my favorite holiday e-card so far this season was one with, shall we say?, a little less polish, but a lot more humor sent out by a two-man shop in Mankato: Rosengren Kohlmeyer.

The lawyers at the firm — Christopher Rosengren and Jason Kohlmeyer – used the “elfyourself” software from jibjab.com to superimpose their heads on a couple of jolly dancing elves. The firm sent an e-mail with a link to the dancing duo and no other clue what it was about other than a subject line of “Merry Christmas from Rosengren Kohlmeyer!” Now one might quibble with the political correctness of the Christmas reference rather than the more general “Happy Holidays” that most law firms use, but I think the fact that the link is to frolicking elves — beings typically associated with Santa– provides explanation enough. Had the lawyers’ heads been superimposed on dancing dreidles rather than elves, for example, I’m sure the subject line would have reflected that. (Maybe next year?)

In any case, kudos to Rosengren Kohlmeyer, a firm that can poke fun at itself. To see the “dancing elves” for yourself, click here. (Warning: The video can be slow to load.)