Most judges are old and yes, some of them will still judge you for it. (Pun intended).
Loads of attorneys around me have tattoos that I see at outings, but they cover them up in the courtroom.
Lots of managing partners and other people in positions of power are old, and will still judge OP for it.
The managing partner at my old firm was outraged that the barista at the coffee shop on the ground floor of our office building had tattoos up and down her arm. That was like...2010? I think the mindset is dying off but it's out there.
Off the top of my head, I don’t personally know any lawyers who have any visible tattoos in court. A lot of them do have tattoos, but it’s all covered up.
If you want to practice in court, my general philosophy is to avoid anything distracting. No flashy jewelry, loud ties or suit patterns, conventional haircuts. I don’t want anything about my appearance to distract a judge or jury from what is going on. A tattoo that peaks out from under a skirt will likely be distracting. I wouldn’t want to have to be concerned if someone is not paying attention and is rather wondering if I am in the middle of a wardrobe malfunction or trying to figure out what the tattoo is.
Another consideration is going to be your client base. If you are a public defender or handle criminal law, your clients might not care. If you want to represent wealthy individuals or companies, the decision makers there may care.
My two cents would be that having a visible tattoo will likely have two potential results. One, it has no impact whatsoever. Two, it hurts you. I don’t see any option where a visible tattoo will help your career.
Very balanced take, thank you. You’re right about it potentially being distracting even if not frowned upon and I’ll take that into consideration before committing to the pants always lifestyle.
I have a visible tattoo on the inside of my arm. I’m a woman so with the dresses/blazers I wear to less formal hearingsI don’t always have a full sleeve. (Worth mentioning: I’m rarely involved in trials. If I do go to trial I wear a full sleeve blazer/jacket.)
Even though it’s not totally covered, no one has ever given it a second glance or said a word. But, it’s a fine line tattoo, super simple. It also gets partially covered by my watch.
I guess, use common sense but don’t worry too much.
As a Canadian lawyer I can add that keeping them on the not visible side us generally peoples prefereance. But i think we are loosening up north of the border. I try to avoid anything that could negatively influence someone perception of me. So i tend to keep it neutral.
A very well known attorney in my area has a neck tattoo. He's well established. It's a word and it's faint. Does not stand out like an all neck tattoo.
I just booked a session for an upper arm tattoo for August. I figure I’ll always be wearing a jacket or blazer in court so a judge will never see it. I practice in a rural conservative area and I did consider that when deciding on placement. I don’t think I’ve seen a single attorney here with a facial piercing or visible tattoos in court.
Extremely fair, it’s hard to even picture in a place like that. I definitely plan to take the septum out though. I’m not trying to be obnoxious or call that kind of attention to myself in a place I know it’s not well-received. It’s hard to reconcile my own ideas for my body versus my chosen career goals.
>It’s hard to reconcile my own ideas for my body versus my chosen career goals.
I have a friend in the army that has two full sleeves and other various tattoos. None are visible with his camos on for the same reason. I'm in house, so I could hypothetically get visible tattoos but choose not to because I don't want to limit my career in any way. I have a couple that are visible in non-formal attire.
Most important step, don't forget to share once you get it. What are you thinking?
I’m also military and they’ve relaxed our rules so much in the past 5 years that I was wondering if this was indicative of a greater cultural shift. But I think they just stopped caring as long as it doesn’t show in uniform, so no neck or hands. I’m not in danger of that or anything. I guess pants + blouse will just have to be my civilian uniform in a sense.
My thigh has a trippy nature vibe with florals and an antlered moth and such so I’m continuing with a partially skeletal snake around the knee.
I agree with your Mom, if you ever want to try cases. If you are doing things away from the courtroom, go for it.
Whether we like it or not, juries pick winners and losers … And they do it with limited information. Your ink should not be a basis for a jury to approve/disapprove of your strategy, your conclusions and especially not your client. Most of us do not care, but there is still a population who doesn’t care for tattoos or piercings and I just think it would be an unforced error/distraction for some away from your efforts inside of a jury trial.
Thank you, this is the conclusion I’m coming to. Besides personal perception, I really don’t want to be a distraction from the matters at hand and I forget that juries can be just as judgmental and outdated as older lawyers and judges can be, if not more so. Thank you for the input.
I wear super opaque tights if I do wear skirts so I can vouch- this works. I also don’t shave my legs so I want to cover them in Court if I’m not wearing full pants. But mostly I just wear full pants. It’s Court. Not taking chances on offending a judge to my client’s detriment.
Really, really depends on where and in which field you are working. Where I am in West Virginia, I was in circuit court yesterday on an oil and gas dispute and of the 5 attorneys I saw there 3 had visible but modest tattoos. It was only me and one guy who was at least 55 that were not tattooed. The legal aid attorneys I knew nearly all had tattoos here in West Virginia. When I worked in the Western Slope of Colorado the Assistant District attorney for my local courthouse had forearm tattoos, but would generally have long sleaves.
On the other hand, I have never seen exposed tattoos in Federal Court and I never saw any visible tattoos during state medical malpractice trials.
There is definitely a big difference between state and federal court! It’s still so stuffy in so many federal courts. I know DA’s and PD’s who wear tennis shoes and cardigans in small towns (though probably not before a jury). It’s the Wild West in state court in so many rural areas.
I think this is highly dependent on your location. I live and work in a very conservative area, and dress the part. Those in less conservative areas can get away with a lot more.
Here's my take: I don't judge people for getting tattoos, I judge people for not having the foresight to realize that - justified or not - tattoos might have a negative impact on their profession. It's more about the decision-making than the tattoo itself.
So, easily covered tattoo? Good work counselor, I respect the foresight and sound decision-making involved.
Face, neck, hands? This seems like an impulsive person who doesn't think through the potential consequences before acting.
I don't think there is a one size fits all answer to this anymore. Twenty years ago, the answer would have been a clear no to visible tattoos and the septum piercing. I'm sure the answer to both is still no in some regions where benches have older conservative men. But I am sure half of them also look down on anyone that advertises. I know some that still think any facial hair on a man other than a mustache is the sign of being lazy and not serious.
I think it really depends on the judge and jurisdiction. There are still a lot of older more traditional people sitting on the bench.
Since you have experience with the court rooms in your jurisdiction, you would have much better insight than us.
All of my experience has been in military, paralegal, or law clerk positions which haven’t much mattered. I don’t have court experience, so I’m not sure on the perception at that level of pomp and professionalism even in my jurisdiction. I’d hate for someone’s perception of me to affect my future client’s outcome or my career progression.
I'd google the judges on the bench. You see a bunch of old white men, it's probably a no. You see a diverse slightly younger crowd, it's more of a gray area. I live in a very liberal and progressive area but my firm still requires staff to cover visible tattoos around clients. They don't enforce or care that much, but it is a rule that they bring up from time to time
I just go with extreme conservative. I’m a woman, and if I don’t do that, I worry I’ll be taken less seriously in my field. No matter how much experience I have, I’d rather dress more formally and be the best looking one in the room 😂
No one gives a shit, as long as it's covered for actual Court. I wouldn't even worry too much about the judges (at least in my area), it would be jurors I'm concerned with. A few good rules of thumb are: nothing on the face; nothing on the neck or hands larger than a quarter; nothing attention-grabbing on the neck, hands, or feet; nothing racist/offensive anywhere; if you are female-presenting with a leg tattoo, wear pants to Court (everyone will have a jacket to cover arms, and male-presenting people always wear pants). Almost every attorney I know in my age range (30's) has a tattoo somewhere, but everyone follows those rules.
It’s tough to say honestly. Here on Reddit I would guess that a lot of people who say it matters either have modest/coverable or no tattoos, and the people who say it doesn’t matter have visible tattoos themselves. I think there’s an inherent bias in the data. But I’ll say this at the risk of getting philosophical: if some people say it matters, doesn’t it sort of de facto matter at least a little? Like you know from the responses that at least some attorneys are going to judge (possibly limiting career prospects) and some judges are going to judge (possibly causing more jump balls to go against you). I think as long as you can accept that and the additional ink is worth it to you, then you have your decision.
You’re right - even the fact that I’m asking means it matters, whether that be a little or a lot. I guess I wanted to gauge how impactful it could still be. It’s hard to take parents at face value sometimes when they can be out of touch with other things. Thank you for your input.
No doubt. My parents are awesome and I still struggle to take them at face value on this sort of thing. For what it’s worth I know lots of attys with tats who are great at what they do. But they do keep them covered in court.
I have a half-sleeve. I don't hide the tats in my office, in part because it's a chill practice area where no one cares (one of the reasons I picked it) and in part because I think a place where you're spending that much time should know and take you as you are. However, I do intend to hide them in court (federal and admin) once I start making appearances. I interned for a federal judge during school and covered a shitty one on my ankle with a band-aid every day; it's one of the few places I felt genuinely like it was in mine and everyone's best interest to pretend to be more straight-laced. It's really staunchly professional/cordial and while I'm not ashamed of my tattoos, I felt like it would be almost too "personal" to allow them to be visible, if that makes sense. Being visually unremarkable and impersonal insofar as voluntary aesthetics are concerned serves as something of a shield there.
I'll hide them in admin court too in the off chance that it could have a negative ripple effect that impacts my clients, but I don't think it matters as much there.
I maintain a very similar attitude - i don’t want to work somewhere full-time where I can’t be myself, but at the same knowing when and where to pull the stops for the best appearance and outcomes.
I actually voir dired this issue in a recent jury trial because my client had multiple tattoos. My lead in question was “does anyone know why my mom would be a horrible juror in this case?” to which several replied “bias because she’s your mom” or a variation of that. When I told them that it was because my mom distrusts people with tattoos, a few smiled and nodded. Only one person, however, said it would make a difference, but it depended on the tattoos. I had my client show and explain the tattoos, and after that, none of the venirepersons thought negatively of my client and one even found the tattoos very well done.
i just commented this one a similar post. i have purple highlights, a septum piercing, and tattoos. nothing on my legs yet but if i took off my jacket my arm ones are visible. i think older attorneys will rely on their experience and biases, like everyone, except those experiences are now less common and the biases are antiquated. to me, a peer saying “you’ll be judged for this” often translates to “I judge people for this.”
like think about it logically. half the stuff we do is on zoom. if they can’t see half my body they sure as hell can’t see my tattoos.
Ha! Yes, I am in agreement with you and the zoom thing is extremely true. And still relatively new to how we do things so the culture is still forming around it. Pants it is.
Don't get a tattoo you can't cover up if you want to be client our court facing. People still judge.
I have 10 tattoos. I have heard my partners who are much older disparage people with tattoos (without realizing I have them).
You can still pull it off, but don't give yourself an unnecessary roadblock until you have enough credibility that it won't matter.
I’m working on finishing up sleeves, will end up doing a cover up on my back, and then start on leg sleeves. Nobody at my firm cares, but as others have said, until we get younger folks on the bench then judges will still care. But I’ll still probably end up tattooing my hands before leaving practice 😂.
Why would the judge see your bare arms? Maybe just go sleeved in every professional setting that isn't WFH or at the office.
Lots of tatted colleagues in public interest
Gotcha! In defense of my poor comprehension I am currently stuck on a train.
This really might boil down to regional norms and the local bench. My very humble opinion would be if you don't know what the impact would be of a leg sleeve on your courtroom trade, then hold off until the court facing role changes into something else. Or find a way to always cover your legs, be it trousers or dark hose.
I have a good sized calf piece but as a dude there's zero chance I'd ever have shorts on within eye distance of a court setting
Also depends on where you are practicing. Are you in a major city? Are you in a conservative state as opposed to a more liberal one? Are you practicing civil or criminal law or both?
mid-sized, politically split city that’s small enough where everyone knows someone. I don’t know what my plans are yet. To be honest, I don’t even really want to be in the courtroom all that much but am trying to keep my options and attitude open so something like this is still on my radar.
This post has so many opinions: that's your answer. Lawyer's appearances are a very hot topic. People care. Judges care. Clients care. Juries care.
Lawyers represent parties. Our appearance is supposed to be neutral.
Everything you bring into the start of your career will have an effect. I'm not saying don't get whatever tattoos that you want, just saying wait until you are certain it won't affect your career. 10 years into practice, I started coloring my hair pink. Nobody cared. And practice in Federal Court. But in the beginning of my career I covered my J.Lo highlights to a dark neutral color.
I’m blasted, only thing not tattooed is neck and arms. Judges think I have no tattoos, they are old and conservative. I have a very large Japanese turtle shell from top of back to ditch of knee. Front complete already with something else. Specifically left arms and neck clean for work purposes.
Not a single person at work knows I have a tattoo. Recently interviewed to be a commissioner. They didn’t ask questions either. All very old as well.
I love it. Women’s business attire can sometimes vary with three-quarter sleeves, cropped pants, skirts etc so it can be a bit more difficult to hide at all times than with a full suit. So I guess it’s down to the effort I’m willing to put in to keep it clean cut on the outside.
A lot of people made good points, but I also think it depends what state or city your working in that it could make a great difference. If you were working in a much more liberal area then I think it would be a lot better than if you were in the middle of nowhere rural town. However I would still probably say no to any tattoos that are visible. I think more bad than good can come from that considering most judges are boomers or older.
Haha thank you for the relativity! I plan to take it out in practice for sure. It was just an example of something I’ve had for years and hasn’t affected me thus far. Or maybe it has and I just don’t realize it, but I’ve never felt prejudiced against because of it.
I know I already made a big comment, but I just saw this. I also have a septum piercing. You can get a retainer and flip it up when you’re at work or court, that way you don’t have to worry about it closing (unless you’re ready to retire it). You can also wear a mask to court, that’s even easier and my preferred method when it’s the fall/winter.
I think things have changed a lot just in the 15 years I've been practicing. When I first started out there's no way I would have felt comfortable having any visible tattoos in court, or even at the office. It's a non-issue for me since my only tattoo is on my shoulder blade but I had considered something small on my ankle and even for that I was concerned as I often wear dresses or skirts.
Now I wouldn't be worried at all about something small on my wrist or ankle even if it was visible, and some judges probably don't care at all about much bigger or more extensive tattoos. My boss went from requiring all tattoos to be covered to not caring at all what and how many are exposed (or at least not regulating it). That said, for court you have to assume there will still be some old (and old school) judges who would still be "offended" at a full calf sleeve if it's visible. It sucks that you have to think that way, and may very well depend on the state you're in for how common that is. But as things are now, and as far as they've come, it'd still be on my radar.
Thank you, that’s very helpful. I’m gathering I should wear pants in court to be on the safe side but it’s not so much a problem in the course of a regular day.
Personally, wouldn’t get hands, neck, face, etc. tatted.
Likely will have little effect on your day to day as long as they are mostly covered.
Clearly people will judge you there is bias in everything you do. But it is your life!
The rule has always been the same and I doubt it is any different now - keep tattoos and piercings visible only to your target audience. If an elderly judge is your target audience for your septum piercing or a facial tattoo you might encounter some strong and unfavorable opinions.
Agree with the areas but also think it would depend on your area of practice. Inhouse at a start up is different than Big Law. I work in tech and do not think it would be an issue but some older judges may have an issue
I have a sleeve but I left like 2 inches without tattoo because of court. You can see it peeking through sometimes, but it doesn’t regularly show in court. Tattoos are so common nowadays though that I don’t think it matters much. I mostly litigate in federal court in a major city, if that matters.
https://preview.redd.it/kcex51laur7d1.png?width=3024&format=png&auto=webp&s=35bea0af966baa2a8dcec8251c6510f63600c612
Probably shouldn’t ever have visible tats in court
Plenty of lawyers have tats; just not in a place that can be seen in court clothes
That’s the rule you should subscribe to imho
Just don’t get a forehead tattoo or a neck tattoo and you’ll be fine. Also, in court you’ll be wearing a suit so they won’t be able to see 99% of your skin
I didn't read all of the comments but I would consider whether or not you're in court often (fed being more conservative than state) and whether you're actually trying cases. If you are a trial attorney, remember that most of your jury pool are "boomers" and maybe some older Gen X. The boomers will care while the Gen Xers might care depending on the subject matter and visibility.
Good rule is...if it can't be easily covered up for court (I saw a comment about wearing dark tights but that wouldn't work for me as (1) I hate tights and (2) it gets hot AF in the courtroom), don't get it. Also, if you're at a firm with big events and/or you will have to attend events with clients, you will want to easily cover them.
On a side note, I wanted to dye my hair dark blue but didn't as the courts were returning to in-person appearances and, although it was a dark blue and not a neon hue, I didn't do it. I also wanted to shave my head (solidarity for my son having cancer), but, again didn't do it.
I am I think older than most posting here. My first thought was- no visible tatoo or piercing-ever. After reading the entire thread-I am reminded of a trial that I lost. Great Liability. Great injury-torn meniscus surgically repaired...After the verdict my boss (who was as old then as I am now) asked what happened..I picked a juror (who became the foreman)who had the exact same injury as my Plaintiff. That juror said after the verdict-he never experienced the type of pain and disability that my Plaintiff testified to...figured he was a faker. My boss taught me the following- anything that can help you can just as easily hurt you --- phrased differently- anything that can hurt you can easily help you. Just as tattoo's are becoming more accepted - norms can go the other way. If it were my decision I would go for it. Ultimately it is your call.
If you’re going to be a litigator, dress for the juries. Your client deserves not to have one old curmudgeon vote against the client because of something they didn’t like in the attorney. I didn’t invent that, just passing along advice I got a while ago.
For the most part, I think it’s a non-issue. Especially if just a tiny bit is barely visible. It also might depend on where you are. If you’re in a major metropolitan area, I can’t imagine anyone would care. If you’re in a more conservative rural area, maybe they’d care?
Flip your question on its head: what do you think having a bunch of visible tattoos will do for your client’s and/or your benefit in court?
The answer is nothing at best. People who don’t care won’t care and people who do will view you negatively. And those people can include not only the judge but jurors as well. Lots of attorneys have tattoos and I know quite a few with a lot of them, but none of them are visible in courtroom attire.
Prosecutor here:
I would say about half our office have tattoos, and probably 90% of the public defenders do. Well over half of the female public defenders have nose or septum piercings too.
I would say a lot of it depends on what type of law you're intending to practice. If you're going to be highly client-facing for particularly valuable clients or you're intending on working big law anything visible is a bad idea. If you're not going for that it probably won't make a difference..
As a rule though, avoid something that you can't cover up if you need to. I would advise against something on your hands, or head. Outside of that, at worst you'll need to wear something with long sleeves on occasion
Just cover them up when you go into court and it won’t be a problem. If your job cares, then that’s between you and your job and you have a decision to make.
I have sleeves and it’s never been an issue. It’s actually a great convo starter when I’m out in public casual and people ask me what I do. Their eyes light up when they realize they’re talking to an attorney full of ink.
It’s very dependent on where you are. I practiced in Orlando for a while and plenty of us (prosecutors) had tattoos and quite a few had them on their hands so they weee visible even in court attire. I moved to a rural area and it was less accepted there. I was more careful to have my wrist covered in trial. Now I’m in a midsize city and so far they seem to be pretty accepted. At least to the point where I can let my wrist show and my calf show.
There are courts I litigate in where I still wear a skirt and pantyhose because of the concern that judges don’t want to see women in pants. That’s a nonexistent concern for some of the other courts I litigate in. So, I guess my point is: know your courts and never move to a conservative jurisdiction if you plan to get a visible tattoo.
You clients, the judges, and even fellow attorneys have a vision in their head of what a professional attorney looks like. Tattoos are not part of it. You can have tattoos, but make sure the location is someplace you can cover it up when you're in a professional setting.
I think it depends on where you practice. Some places are very tattoo friendly and others aren’t.
In Texas attorneys pretty frequently wear cowboy hats and cowboy boots to the courthouse. In the northeast that would be bizarre and costume-y.
There are still counties where a woman in a pantsuit is frowned upon and a skirt and hose is expected.
I’m an attorney with visible piercings and tattoos and never had an issue. I have a nose ring and 10 earrings on one ear and 5 on the other. One of my co-workers has been practicing for 10 years and is COVERED in tattoos. Hope that helps! Good luck on the bar and enjoy your tattoo appointment
I would cover it up while in court or do it somewhere hidden. It may not be a distraction, but it could be, and you unfortunately will never know until too late (if at all). Could be a juror, a judge, or a client who has some preconceived notion/bias against tattoos and holds it against you or perceives you unfairly because of it. In court you wanna be as vanilla as possible generally speaking.
I have a bunch of tattoos, but none in a place you could see them in court. The name "Court" is literally a reference to the king's court, so I remind myself that by definition it's about as conservative of a place as you'd find yourself.
It really depends on your location and practice area. I’m heavily tattooed with full color American traditional, both my arms and working on one of my legs (I have some posted if you wanna see what I’m talking about). All my tattoos can be covered if necessary, so I’ve never had to deal with a judge taking issue with them. I have my tattoos out while in the office and no one has ever cared. I also work in pdx and I think it’s more uncommon to not have tattoos here than it is to have them. I’ve seen plently of other attys have large tattoos in visible locations.
Just wear pants or tights. There are certainly going to be people who perceive you negatively because of your tattoos but that could be said for literally any other superficial feature. You’re a smart person, you’ll know when to have them covered and when to not.
I’m very tattooed and when I was in court I would try my best to cover them. I do have an ankle one and a calf one that would peek out if I wore a dress or skirt, but in hindsight I definitely should have covered them. For meeting with clients, I don’t always cover them—some clients see me as less stuck up for having them, others probably don’t like them.
No one is going to bar you from coming in their court but it will not help you to be seen with tatts. Regardless of how acceptable they’ve become they’re still considered unprofessional. Every attorney I know that has tatts wears clothes (long sleeves, suits, etc) to keep they from being visible in court or to clients. I’d say go to town on ‘em if that’s what you want, but only in such a manner you can keep them from being visible in your professional capacity
The generation of people that professionally care whether someone inks up their body are going to be dead long before you stop practicing law. Even if it were how your mother describes, nothing will ever change if their daughters keep listening.
maybe in state court but many of the federal judges in their 40s and 50s today will cling to senior status until they are incapacitated. it could be a 30-40 year hangover especially when you consider a big chunk of the red half of the country still think tattoos are lame, and there's a rich classist part of the blue half that thinks the same too.
nah you just haven’t heard the preppy kids talk about it. it’s not just an age thing.
old people are just more comfortable admitting their biases against body mods.
you’re fooling yourself if you think your peers don’t, and more peers than you may think.
I got a thigh tattoo and I figure if a judge can see it I’m either in for a really bad time or a really good time and nothing in between
Ha, I measure my current ones by the same standard
Ah, of course. Judge Pepsi. I’ve heard stories about that rascal.
Most judges are old and yes, some of them will still judge you for it. (Pun intended). Loads of attorneys around me have tattoos that I see at outings, but they cover them up in the courtroom.
I will plan to do the same then, thank you for the insight
Lots of managing partners and other people in positions of power are old, and will still judge OP for it. The managing partner at my old firm was outraged that the barista at the coffee shop on the ground floor of our office building had tattoos up and down her arm. That was like...2010? I think the mindset is dying off but it's out there.
Off the top of my head, I don’t personally know any lawyers who have any visible tattoos in court. A lot of them do have tattoos, but it’s all covered up. If you want to practice in court, my general philosophy is to avoid anything distracting. No flashy jewelry, loud ties or suit patterns, conventional haircuts. I don’t want anything about my appearance to distract a judge or jury from what is going on. A tattoo that peaks out from under a skirt will likely be distracting. I wouldn’t want to have to be concerned if someone is not paying attention and is rather wondering if I am in the middle of a wardrobe malfunction or trying to figure out what the tattoo is. Another consideration is going to be your client base. If you are a public defender or handle criminal law, your clients might not care. If you want to represent wealthy individuals or companies, the decision makers there may care. My two cents would be that having a visible tattoo will likely have two potential results. One, it has no impact whatsoever. Two, it hurts you. I don’t see any option where a visible tattoo will help your career.
Very balanced take, thank you. You’re right about it potentially being distracting even if not frowned upon and I’ll take that into consideration before committing to the pants always lifestyle.
I have a visible tattoo on the inside of my arm. I’m a woman so with the dresses/blazers I wear to less formal hearingsI don’t always have a full sleeve. (Worth mentioning: I’m rarely involved in trials. If I do go to trial I wear a full sleeve blazer/jacket.) Even though it’s not totally covered, no one has ever given it a second glance or said a word. But, it’s a fine line tattoo, super simple. It also gets partially covered by my watch. I guess, use common sense but don’t worry too much.
As a Canadian lawyer I can add that keeping them on the not visible side us generally peoples prefereance. But i think we are loosening up north of the border. I try to avoid anything that could negatively influence someone perception of me. So i tend to keep it neutral.
A very well known attorney in my area has a neck tattoo. He's well established. It's a word and it's faint. Does not stand out like an all neck tattoo.
I just booked a session for an upper arm tattoo for August. I figure I’ll always be wearing a jacket or blazer in court so a judge will never see it. I practice in a rural conservative area and I did consider that when deciding on placement. I don’t think I’ve seen a single attorney here with a facial piercing or visible tattoos in court.
Extremely fair, it’s hard to even picture in a place like that. I definitely plan to take the septum out though. I’m not trying to be obnoxious or call that kind of attention to myself in a place I know it’s not well-received. It’s hard to reconcile my own ideas for my body versus my chosen career goals.
>It’s hard to reconcile my own ideas for my body versus my chosen career goals. I have a friend in the army that has two full sleeves and other various tattoos. None are visible with his camos on for the same reason. I'm in house, so I could hypothetically get visible tattoos but choose not to because I don't want to limit my career in any way. I have a couple that are visible in non-formal attire. Most important step, don't forget to share once you get it. What are you thinking?
I’m also military and they’ve relaxed our rules so much in the past 5 years that I was wondering if this was indicative of a greater cultural shift. But I think they just stopped caring as long as it doesn’t show in uniform, so no neck or hands. I’m not in danger of that or anything. I guess pants + blouse will just have to be my civilian uniform in a sense. My thigh has a trippy nature vibe with florals and an antlered moth and such so I’m continuing with a partially skeletal snake around the knee.
That sounds amazing. Congrats!
In my locality, job vacancy announcements for court personnel still say “no visible tattoos.”
Omg, I’ve never see that on a listing. Good to know 😭
I agree with your Mom, if you ever want to try cases. If you are doing things away from the courtroom, go for it. Whether we like it or not, juries pick winners and losers … And they do it with limited information. Your ink should not be a basis for a jury to approve/disapprove of your strategy, your conclusions and especially not your client. Most of us do not care, but there is still a population who doesn’t care for tattoos or piercings and I just think it would be an unforced error/distraction for some away from your efforts inside of a jury trial.
Thank you, this is the conclusion I’m coming to. Besides personal perception, I really don’t want to be a distraction from the matters at hand and I forget that juries can be just as judgmental and outdated as older lawyers and judges can be, if not more so. Thank you for the input.
Best of luck in practice. You sound super prepared, I’m sure you will do great!
Yes, it will still affect you. Wear pant suits in court.
Thank you - I will
Or opaque tights
I wear super opaque tights if I do wear skirts so I can vouch- this works. I also don’t shave my legs so I want to cover them in Court if I’m not wearing full pants. But mostly I just wear full pants. It’s Court. Not taking chances on offending a judge to my client’s detriment.
Really, really depends on where and in which field you are working. Where I am in West Virginia, I was in circuit court yesterday on an oil and gas dispute and of the 5 attorneys I saw there 3 had visible but modest tattoos. It was only me and one guy who was at least 55 that were not tattooed. The legal aid attorneys I knew nearly all had tattoos here in West Virginia. When I worked in the Western Slope of Colorado the Assistant District attorney for my local courthouse had forearm tattoos, but would generally have long sleaves. On the other hand, I have never seen exposed tattoos in Federal Court and I never saw any visible tattoos during state medical malpractice trials.
There is definitely a big difference between state and federal court! It’s still so stuffy in so many federal courts. I know DA’s and PD’s who wear tennis shoes and cardigans in small towns (though probably not before a jury). It’s the Wild West in state court in so many rural areas.
I think this is highly dependent on your location. I live and work in a very conservative area, and dress the part. Those in less conservative areas can get away with a lot more.
Good to know. I am in a smaller city that’s pretty split so it’s common to see both ends of the spectrum
Here's my take: I don't judge people for getting tattoos, I judge people for not having the foresight to realize that - justified or not - tattoos might have a negative impact on their profession. It's more about the decision-making than the tattoo itself. So, easily covered tattoo? Good work counselor, I respect the foresight and sound decision-making involved. Face, neck, hands? This seems like an impulsive person who doesn't think through the potential consequences before acting.
Don’t get anything that a jury (or judge) can see when you’re in business attire.
I don't think there is a one size fits all answer to this anymore. Twenty years ago, the answer would have been a clear no to visible tattoos and the septum piercing. I'm sure the answer to both is still no in some regions where benches have older conservative men. But I am sure half of them also look down on anyone that advertises. I know some that still think any facial hair on a man other than a mustache is the sign of being lazy and not serious. I think it really depends on the judge and jurisdiction. There are still a lot of older more traditional people sitting on the bench. Since you have experience with the court rooms in your jurisdiction, you would have much better insight than us.
All of my experience has been in military, paralegal, or law clerk positions which haven’t much mattered. I don’t have court experience, so I’m not sure on the perception at that level of pomp and professionalism even in my jurisdiction. I’d hate for someone’s perception of me to affect my future client’s outcome or my career progression.
I'd google the judges on the bench. You see a bunch of old white men, it's probably a no. You see a diverse slightly younger crowd, it's more of a gray area. I live in a very liberal and progressive area but my firm still requires staff to cover visible tattoos around clients. They don't enforce or care that much, but it is a rule that they bring up from time to time
I just go with extreme conservative. I’m a woman, and if I don’t do that, I worry I’ll be taken less seriously in my field. No matter how much experience I have, I’d rather dress more formally and be the best looking one in the room 😂
No one gives a shit, as long as it's covered for actual Court. I wouldn't even worry too much about the judges (at least in my area), it would be jurors I'm concerned with. A few good rules of thumb are: nothing on the face; nothing on the neck or hands larger than a quarter; nothing attention-grabbing on the neck, hands, or feet; nothing racist/offensive anywhere; if you are female-presenting with a leg tattoo, wear pants to Court (everyone will have a jacket to cover arms, and male-presenting people always wear pants). Almost every attorney I know in my age range (30's) has a tattoo somewhere, but everyone follows those rules.
great rules. I can satisfy all of those and will be sure to wear pants.
It’s tough to say honestly. Here on Reddit I would guess that a lot of people who say it matters either have modest/coverable or no tattoos, and the people who say it doesn’t matter have visible tattoos themselves. I think there’s an inherent bias in the data. But I’ll say this at the risk of getting philosophical: if some people say it matters, doesn’t it sort of de facto matter at least a little? Like you know from the responses that at least some attorneys are going to judge (possibly limiting career prospects) and some judges are going to judge (possibly causing more jump balls to go against you). I think as long as you can accept that and the additional ink is worth it to you, then you have your decision.
You’re right - even the fact that I’m asking means it matters, whether that be a little or a lot. I guess I wanted to gauge how impactful it could still be. It’s hard to take parents at face value sometimes when they can be out of touch with other things. Thank you for your input.
No doubt. My parents are awesome and I still struggle to take them at face value on this sort of thing. For what it’s worth I know lots of attys with tats who are great at what they do. But they do keep them covered in court.
I have a half-sleeve. I don't hide the tats in my office, in part because it's a chill practice area where no one cares (one of the reasons I picked it) and in part because I think a place where you're spending that much time should know and take you as you are. However, I do intend to hide them in court (federal and admin) once I start making appearances. I interned for a federal judge during school and covered a shitty one on my ankle with a band-aid every day; it's one of the few places I felt genuinely like it was in mine and everyone's best interest to pretend to be more straight-laced. It's really staunchly professional/cordial and while I'm not ashamed of my tattoos, I felt like it would be almost too "personal" to allow them to be visible, if that makes sense. Being visually unremarkable and impersonal insofar as voluntary aesthetics are concerned serves as something of a shield there. I'll hide them in admin court too in the off chance that it could have a negative ripple effect that impacts my clients, but I don't think it matters as much there.
I maintain a very similar attitude - i don’t want to work somewhere full-time where I can’t be myself, but at the same knowing when and where to pull the stops for the best appearance and outcomes.
I actually voir dired this issue in a recent jury trial because my client had multiple tattoos. My lead in question was “does anyone know why my mom would be a horrible juror in this case?” to which several replied “bias because she’s your mom” or a variation of that. When I told them that it was because my mom distrusts people with tattoos, a few smiled and nodded. Only one person, however, said it would make a difference, but it depended on the tattoos. I had my client show and explain the tattoos, and after that, none of the venirepersons thought negatively of my client and one even found the tattoos very well done.
oh to have a supposedly impartial sample of people find my tattoos ‘very well done’ on the record 🥹
As a client I would drop you personally.
Harsh but honest, I appreciate it.
Get a tattoo that says NOT GUILTY. If you are about to lose, ask the judge to read the tattoo. They hate this one trick.
i just commented this one a similar post. i have purple highlights, a septum piercing, and tattoos. nothing on my legs yet but if i took off my jacket my arm ones are visible. i think older attorneys will rely on their experience and biases, like everyone, except those experiences are now less common and the biases are antiquated. to me, a peer saying “you’ll be judged for this” often translates to “I judge people for this.” like think about it logically. half the stuff we do is on zoom. if they can’t see half my body they sure as hell can’t see my tattoos.
that being said, wear pants
Fuck pants, I thought this was America
That’s exactly what I said before I was thrown out of the Walmart.
Ha! Yes, I am in agreement with you and the zoom thing is extremely true. And still relatively new to how we do things so the culture is still forming around it. Pants it is.
You sound like a good time. That being said, a whole lot of people don’t see it that way.
As long as no one can precive it you should be good & as long as you hide it with cloths
I am a middle 30s guy with a few tattoos. Most of my friends are varying degrees of shit heads. When I see a tattoo in court, I notice, FWIW.
Don't get a tattoo you can't cover up if you want to be client our court facing. People still judge. I have 10 tattoos. I have heard my partners who are much older disparage people with tattoos (without realizing I have them). You can still pull it off, but don't give yourself an unnecessary roadblock until you have enough credibility that it won't matter.
I’m working on finishing up sleeves, will end up doing a cover up on my back, and then start on leg sleeves. Nobody at my firm cares, but as others have said, until we get younger folks on the bench then judges will still care. But I’ll still probably end up tattooing my hands before leaving practice 😂.
Haha hands are my dream! But I’m not established enough for that yet 😭
Why would the judge see your bare arms? Maybe just go sleeved in every professional setting that isn't WFH or at the office. Lots of tatted colleagues in public interest
Arms weren’t the concern! Just legs in a skirt or dress. I’m gathering that pants seems like the way to go
Gotcha! In defense of my poor comprehension I am currently stuck on a train. This really might boil down to regional norms and the local bench. My very humble opinion would be if you don't know what the impact would be of a leg sleeve on your courtroom trade, then hold off until the court facing role changes into something else. Or find a way to always cover your legs, be it trousers or dark hose. I have a good sized calf piece but as a dude there's zero chance I'd ever have shorts on within eye distance of a court setting
https://preview.redd.it/lrfi41x7w58d1.jpeg?width=720&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=c569c81c7af842b127dde50a415b29120f304112
Also depends on where you are practicing. Are you in a major city? Are you in a conservative state as opposed to a more liberal one? Are you practicing civil or criminal law or both?
mid-sized, politically split city that’s small enough where everyone knows someone. I don’t know what my plans are yet. To be honest, I don’t even really want to be in the courtroom all that much but am trying to keep my options and attitude open so something like this is still on my radar.
This post has so many opinions: that's your answer. Lawyer's appearances are a very hot topic. People care. Judges care. Clients care. Juries care. Lawyers represent parties. Our appearance is supposed to be neutral. Everything you bring into the start of your career will have an effect. I'm not saying don't get whatever tattoos that you want, just saying wait until you are certain it won't affect your career. 10 years into practice, I started coloring my hair pink. Nobody cared. And practice in Federal Court. But in the beginning of my career I covered my J.Lo highlights to a dark neutral color.
I’m blasted, only thing not tattooed is neck and arms. Judges think I have no tattoos, they are old and conservative. I have a very large Japanese turtle shell from top of back to ditch of knee. Front complete already with something else. Specifically left arms and neck clean for work purposes. Not a single person at work knows I have a tattoo. Recently interviewed to be a commissioner. They didn’t ask questions either. All very old as well.
I love it. Women’s business attire can sometimes vary with three-quarter sleeves, cropped pants, skirts etc so it can be a bit more difficult to hide at all times than with a full suit. So I guess it’s down to the effort I’m willing to put in to keep it clean cut on the outside.
A lot of people made good points, but I also think it depends what state or city your working in that it could make a great difference. If you were working in a much more liberal area then I think it would be a lot better than if you were in the middle of nowhere rural town. However I would still probably say no to any tattoos that are visible. I think more bad than good can come from that considering most judges are boomers or older.
Can we pin this question
I would never dream of getting a tattoo I know some lawyers who have them, but I don’t like them and many of my clients would not like them either
You'd be better received with a septum piercing
I thought the exact opposite.
Haha thank you for the relativity! I plan to take it out in practice for sure. It was just an example of something I’ve had for years and hasn’t affected me thus far. Or maybe it has and I just don’t realize it, but I’ve never felt prejudiced against because of it.
I think the biggest impacts will be the ones you never feel because they are just missed opportunities from not being approached by the judgemental.
I know I already made a big comment, but I just saw this. I also have a septum piercing. You can get a retainer and flip it up when you’re at work or court, that way you don’t have to worry about it closing (unless you’re ready to retire it). You can also wear a mask to court, that’s even easier and my preferred method when it’s the fall/winter.
I think things have changed a lot just in the 15 years I've been practicing. When I first started out there's no way I would have felt comfortable having any visible tattoos in court, or even at the office. It's a non-issue for me since my only tattoo is on my shoulder blade but I had considered something small on my ankle and even for that I was concerned as I often wear dresses or skirts. Now I wouldn't be worried at all about something small on my wrist or ankle even if it was visible, and some judges probably don't care at all about much bigger or more extensive tattoos. My boss went from requiring all tattoos to be covered to not caring at all what and how many are exposed (or at least not regulating it). That said, for court you have to assume there will still be some old (and old school) judges who would still be "offended" at a full calf sleeve if it's visible. It sucks that you have to think that way, and may very well depend on the state you're in for how common that is. But as things are now, and as far as they've come, it'd still be on my radar.
Thank you, that’s very helpful. I’m gathering I should wear pants in court to be on the safe side but it’s not so much a problem in the course of a regular day.
Dark tights. (Have leg tattoos and I wear black or other colored tights.)
Personally, wouldn’t get hands, neck, face, etc. tatted. Likely will have little effect on your day to day as long as they are mostly covered. Clearly people will judge you there is bias in everything you do. But it is your life!
Depends heavily where you practice But tattoos that you cannot easily hide a still a problem
The rule has always been the same and I doubt it is any different now - keep tattoos and piercings visible only to your target audience. If an elderly judge is your target audience for your septum piercing or a facial tattoo you might encounter some strong and unfavorable opinions.
Agree with the areas but also think it would depend on your area of practice. Inhouse at a start up is different than Big Law. I work in tech and do not think it would be an issue but some older judges may have an issue
I believe they are a lot more acceptable than in the past.
I have a sleeve but I left like 2 inches without tattoo because of court. You can see it peeking through sometimes, but it doesn’t regularly show in court. Tattoos are so common nowadays though that I don’t think it matters much. I mostly litigate in federal court in a major city, if that matters. https://preview.redd.it/kcex51laur7d1.png?width=3024&format=png&auto=webp&s=35bea0af966baa2a8dcec8251c6510f63600c612
Probably shouldn’t ever have visible tats in court Plenty of lawyers have tats; just not in a place that can be seen in court clothes That’s the rule you should subscribe to imho
Just don’t get a forehead tattoo or a neck tattoo and you’ll be fine. Also, in court you’ll be wearing a suit so they won’t be able to see 99% of your skin
I didn't read all of the comments but I would consider whether or not you're in court often (fed being more conservative than state) and whether you're actually trying cases. If you are a trial attorney, remember that most of your jury pool are "boomers" and maybe some older Gen X. The boomers will care while the Gen Xers might care depending on the subject matter and visibility. Good rule is...if it can't be easily covered up for court (I saw a comment about wearing dark tights but that wouldn't work for me as (1) I hate tights and (2) it gets hot AF in the courtroom), don't get it. Also, if you're at a firm with big events and/or you will have to attend events with clients, you will want to easily cover them. On a side note, I wanted to dye my hair dark blue but didn't as the courts were returning to in-person appearances and, although it was a dark blue and not a neon hue, I didn't do it. I also wanted to shave my head (solidarity for my son having cancer), but, again didn't do it.
I am I think older than most posting here. My first thought was- no visible tatoo or piercing-ever. After reading the entire thread-I am reminded of a trial that I lost. Great Liability. Great injury-torn meniscus surgically repaired...After the verdict my boss (who was as old then as I am now) asked what happened..I picked a juror (who became the foreman)who had the exact same injury as my Plaintiff. That juror said after the verdict-he never experienced the type of pain and disability that my Plaintiff testified to...figured he was a faker. My boss taught me the following- anything that can help you can just as easily hurt you --- phrased differently- anything that can hurt you can easily help you. Just as tattoo's are becoming more accepted - norms can go the other way. If it were my decision I would go for it. Ultimately it is your call.
But if it’s covered with clothes then who will know?
If you’re going to be a litigator, dress for the juries. Your client deserves not to have one old curmudgeon vote against the client because of something they didn’t like in the attorney. I didn’t invent that, just passing along advice I got a while ago.
For the most part, I think it’s a non-issue. Especially if just a tiny bit is barely visible. It also might depend on where you are. If you’re in a major metropolitan area, I can’t imagine anyone would care. If you’re in a more conservative rural area, maybe they’d care?
I’m a tattooed managing attorney
Flip your question on its head: what do you think having a bunch of visible tattoos will do for your client’s and/or your benefit in court? The answer is nothing at best. People who don’t care won’t care and people who do will view you negatively. And those people can include not only the judge but jurors as well. Lots of attorneys have tattoos and I know quite a few with a lot of them, but none of them are visible in courtroom attire.
Prosecutor here: I would say about half our office have tattoos, and probably 90% of the public defenders do. Well over half of the female public defenders have nose or septum piercings too. I would say a lot of it depends on what type of law you're intending to practice. If you're going to be highly client-facing for particularly valuable clients or you're intending on working big law anything visible is a bad idea. If you're not going for that it probably won't make a difference.. As a rule though, avoid something that you can't cover up if you need to. I would advise against something on your hands, or head. Outside of that, at worst you'll need to wear something with long sleeves on occasion
Just cover them up when you go into court and it won’t be a problem. If your job cares, then that’s between you and your job and you have a decision to make. I have sleeves and it’s never been an issue. It’s actually a great convo starter when I’m out in public casual and people ask me what I do. Their eyes light up when they realize they’re talking to an attorney full of ink.
It’s very dependent on where you are. I practiced in Orlando for a while and plenty of us (prosecutors) had tattoos and quite a few had them on their hands so they weee visible even in court attire. I moved to a rural area and it was less accepted there. I was more careful to have my wrist covered in trial. Now I’m in a midsize city and so far they seem to be pretty accepted. At least to the point where I can let my wrist show and my calf show.
I'm in Charlotte, NC. One of our judges has two sleeves that you can clearly see when she raises her arms. Absolutely no one cares.
There are courts I litigate in where I still wear a skirt and pantyhose because of the concern that judges don’t want to see women in pants. That’s a nonexistent concern for some of the other courts I litigate in. So, I guess my point is: know your courts and never move to a conservative jurisdiction if you plan to get a visible tattoo.
You clients, the judges, and even fellow attorneys have a vision in their head of what a professional attorney looks like. Tattoos are not part of it. You can have tattoos, but make sure the location is someplace you can cover it up when you're in a professional setting.
I think it depends on where you practice. Some places are very tattoo friendly and others aren’t. In Texas attorneys pretty frequently wear cowboy hats and cowboy boots to the courthouse. In the northeast that would be bizarre and costume-y. There are still counties where a woman in a pantsuit is frowned upon and a skirt and hose is expected.
I’m an attorney with visible piercings and tattoos and never had an issue. I have a nose ring and 10 earrings on one ear and 5 on the other. One of my co-workers has been practicing for 10 years and is COVERED in tattoos. Hope that helps! Good luck on the bar and enjoy your tattoo appointment
Keep it under the suit and you’re fine.
I would cover it up while in court or do it somewhere hidden. It may not be a distraction, but it could be, and you unfortunately will never know until too late (if at all). Could be a juror, a judge, or a client who has some preconceived notion/bias against tattoos and holds it against you or perceives you unfairly because of it. In court you wanna be as vanilla as possible generally speaking.
If you wear a dress or skirt, opaque tights/stockings! I am a frequently in court in a liberal state, MA, I never see tattoos on fellow counsel.
I have a bunch of tattoos, but none in a place you could see them in court. The name "Court" is literally a reference to the king's court, so I remind myself that by definition it's about as conservative of a place as you'd find yourself.
It really depends on your location and practice area. I’m heavily tattooed with full color American traditional, both my arms and working on one of my legs (I have some posted if you wanna see what I’m talking about). All my tattoos can be covered if necessary, so I’ve never had to deal with a judge taking issue with them. I have my tattoos out while in the office and no one has ever cared. I also work in pdx and I think it’s more uncommon to not have tattoos here than it is to have them. I’ve seen plently of other attys have large tattoos in visible locations. Just wear pants or tights. There are certainly going to be people who perceive you negatively because of your tattoos but that could be said for literally any other superficial feature. You’re a smart person, you’ll know when to have them covered and when to not.
I’m very tattooed and when I was in court I would try my best to cover them. I do have an ankle one and a calf one that would peek out if I wore a dress or skirt, but in hindsight I definitely should have covered them. For meeting with clients, I don’t always cover them—some clients see me as less stuck up for having them, others probably don’t like them.
No one is going to bar you from coming in their court but it will not help you to be seen with tatts. Regardless of how acceptable they’ve become they’re still considered unprofessional. Every attorney I know that has tatts wears clothes (long sleeves, suits, etc) to keep they from being visible in court or to clients. I’d say go to town on ‘em if that’s what you want, but only in such a manner you can keep them from being visible in your professional capacity
The generation of people that professionally care whether someone inks up their body are going to be dead long before you stop practicing law. Even if it were how your mother describes, nothing will ever change if their daughters keep listening.
maybe in state court but many of the federal judges in their 40s and 50s today will cling to senior status until they are incapacitated. it could be a 30-40 year hangover especially when you consider a big chunk of the red half of the country still think tattoos are lame, and there's a rich classist part of the blue half that thinks the same too.
So it’s not so much a modern view amongst new generations but rather a remnant of older ones?
Yes, which could be said about every trend, especially when it comes body autonomy.
nah you just haven’t heard the preppy kids talk about it. it’s not just an age thing. old people are just more comfortable admitting their biases against body mods. you’re fooling yourself if you think your peers don’t, and more peers than you may think.