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Kleinberg Kaplan thoughts anyone?
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Mentor
I’m not a tattoo person so maybe I don’t get it, but this seems like a pretty unimportant thing to risk your job (and potentially millions of dollars as equity) over. Whenever people have asked me about tattoos and BigLaw what I’ll advise is to do any tattoos they want EXCEPT these areas. Even among very liberalized/young people who don’t care about them in general, I think these areas are still taboo (especially head/face).
You could maybe get away with neck or hands (if we’re talking very modest scale and not anything close to full coverage) but head/face is wild. If I met a lawyer with a face tattoo I’d be extremely taken aback and honestly would have trouble taking them seriously. I would expect to hear “yeah I was in prison myself, got out and got a law degree, now I work to help keep others out of jail as a defense lawyer” or something and if you said you’re just some dude who does capital markets I’d be like 🤨
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Thatsthejoke.jpg
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As a male I wore a long ponytail (halfway down my back) at V20s for most of my career. It was limiting with some clients and would have prevented me from joining some firms laterally, but I was extremely successful and as a result it was overlooked. I’m sure there’s some boomer in this opinion but I think visible tattoos, especially above the collar, would be much more limiting than an unconventional haircut. Making and succeeding as partner — especially equity — is really hard under optimal circumstances. Why make it much more difficult for yourself? But if ink is your priority and you’re willing to live with consequences that you can’t objectively measure, then you do you.
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This was my immediate thought. Making equity partner is already a tournament. Why in the world would you deliberately limit your odds even further by doing something objectively and visibly taboo with your body…
Coach
Of course it matters. Is it really that important to get?
A large prominent forehead tattoo is smartest possible professional decision one can make in their career. Once completed, you will observe a flood of venture capital into your firm / sarc
I work in a non-profit, legal aid setting. Doesn't get much more liberal in this industry. I previously had the pleasure of being the impetus for 3 dress code policies with another employer. To this day, I cover everything regarding ink despite the long hair and large holes in my ears. Hand/neck/face tattoos are probably just a bridge too far...even though I want them myself.
British Royalty, including George V, had tattoos done while visiting Japan.
Obviously folks have the right to get tattoos as they see fit. But they should understand that by doing so, they are often limiting their prospects, in general.
Why would you get hand/neck/face tattoos? People might be offended by them (e.g. Japanese people often see tattoos as related to criminal activity)
I’m not a tattoo person, but it’s also 2026 and most people have them these days so I think people need to get used to that. In my career field it has always been that you can’t get a job and work unless they are covered, and many organizations are still that way. My brother-in-law is fully tattooed except his neck and face, and he’s the hardest worker I know. With that said, I think if you want to be taken seriously as a professional you stay clear of the face, and neck. It screams prison vibes, or girlfriend/boyfriend of the months name on the neck, but that’s just my opinion. I’m not the one in your career path determining everything.
I always advise someone to consider the viewpoint of those they are providing services/support to when determining tattoos, piercings. Both getting them and the type/location. Symbols mean something different to different people.
We all make some kinds of sacrifices in our lives for work, family, etc. Some sacrifices are not as obvious as others but mean just as much to the person making them.
You may still be pulling in new business, but are you missing a great deal more clients that you may have gotten? Maybe you aren't, but I always advise people to ask themselves those hard questions before making decisions.
Fellow tattoo enthusiast here - I work in BD/Sales and I have my tattoos placed in such a way that pants and long-sleeves keeps them tucked away. If I were in your shoes, I would actually put getting tattoos on hand, neck, or head until after I'm done working or going into an industry where that level of body art doesn't matter.
Although tattoos are becoming more and more acceptable in the workplace, they are frequently prohibited by dress codes, especially in traditional professions like law, finance, and high-stakes customer service positions. Given that you did not disclose your organization's dress code in your post, any response would be contingent on the organizational dress code.
I have no tattoos but have many scars. I have no issue with tattoos but the "What will people think" crowd will shun you. Be you!
If you have to ask, then you already know the risk. You don't need to ask. Do you think it's worth it?