The quarterly publication of the International Legal Technology Association
Issue link: https://epubs.iltanet.org/i/163881
Mary Panetta Business Manager Crowell & Moring LLP Things Get Ducky One of the wonderful things about our Washington, D.C. office is the outdoor terrace space. It offers amazing views of the nation's capital and the opportunity to step outside for a breath of fresh air and sunshine. Recently, a mother duck settled into one of the planters on our ninth floor terrace, where she made a cozy nest and laid a dozen eggs. This special visitor touched the hearts of those who came upon her, and they took immediate action to make her surroundings as comfortable as possible. Our facilities team made a little shelter for her out of a crate. The landscape vendor set up a small pool filled with water, so she could keep up with her swimming and get her feet wet. Our onsite catering team researched recipes and made separate batches of feed for the mother duck and her soon-to-arrive ducklings. A member of the construction crew working on a project spent time at home to make a custom ramp so the family would have a means to make their way from the planter to the ground safely. Access to the terrace was restricted, and the office kept vigil to see when the eggs would hatch. After the 28-day incubation period, to everyone's delight, the ducklings broke out of their shells and the chorus of oohs and ahhs ensued as they waddled around the terrace. Recognizing that a ninth floor terrace is rife with hazards for such cute little creatures, the proper authorities were called and arrangements were made for our feathered friends to be relocated to beautiful Rock Creek Park where they now reside. While this duck family has moved on, the presence of ducks remains strong at Crowell & Moring. You see, a rubber duck is the unofficial mascot of the firm. One day years ago, someone left a rubber duck in the (otherwise) dignified fountain that stands in the reception area of the Washington office. Instead of the duck being removed, other ducks soon appeared, and they have been a fixture of the firm (in all of our offices) ever since. As the duck population has grown, so has our sense of humor and our belief that sophisticated, complex law need not be practiced in an ivory tower. Rather, it happens with both feet firmly planted on the ground. And that philosophy is yet another thing that makes my space at Crowell & Moring wonderful. 42 Peer to Peer