“IMPORTANT AND CONFIDENTIAL” it said at the top. I decided to leave that as is. Then I started moving the guts of the memo around. I pushed to the beginning information on the types of parties that were permitted: wedding celebrations, baby showers, partner promotions, and, of course, goodbye parties. Then came information on the caterers, restaurants, and other vendors we used, and how we paid, followed by the types of decorations—balloons, banners, and whatnot—that were permitted and when, as well as the amount that could be spent overall and on a gift, depending on whether the person being celebrated was a senior partner, a partner, an associate, or a secretary or other administrative staffer. I followed that with information on the types of food and drinks typically purchased, and then
