It’s L.A. law, in shorts. Walk through the postmodern design of Quinn Emanuel Urquhart Oliver & Hedges’ downtown office and you’ll find even the majordomos sporting cutoff khakis and sandals.

But don’t be deceived, not even in Los Angeles, where appearances usually mean everything. Quinn Emanuel may stretch the seams of casual dress in its industrial-chic surroundings, but if you look behind the firm’s informal facade, what’s there is more gated community than hippie commune. In some ways, it couldn’t be more exclusive.