As we move on to the Round of 32 in this year’s World Cup, the frequency of matches is slowing down, but the intensity is picking up. Draws are out, shootouts are in, and if a team doesn’t win, they’re out. Just as Team USA will be giving it their all this Wednesday in their match against Bosnia and Herzegovina, the 2026 Bilzin Sumberg Summer Associate Class is taking no prisoners when it comes to our in-office festivities.

As my fellow summers and I have previously written about, Bilzin Sumberg is holding a number of raffles and competitions to win tickets to World Cup games and VIP access to the FIFA Fan Festival at Bayfront Park. While office bingo and the summer associate scavenger hunt were both fun and lighthearted, the competition for best decorated office is way more serious. Each department has decorated a desk, hallway, or an office, and the bar was set high for the Summer Associate class as we looked to jointly enter the competition.

Nicole Shaked was our fearless leader in taking this task and making it her own. As the creative one in the group, she took charge of getting all the decorations and even volunteered her office as the one we would use in our entry to the competition. The rest of us helped with the legwork by unwrapping everything and helping set Nicole’s office up as she saw fit.

My job was to hang streamers on the ceiling. People walking by definitely saw me stepping all over Nicole’s desk, but it will all have been worth it if we end up winning this contest. I wiped down Nicole’s desk afterwards so she doesn’t have to review case law while staring at a bunch of Cole Haan shoe marks- Nicole, let me know if I missed a spot.

Our finished product was better than what we thought we would have when we started this journey. To all of this blog’s dedicated followers, please let us know how we did. If the next post you read is about our experience at Miami’s next World Cup game, you’ll know who won this competition.