So I am in need of some neutral advice.  My office is currently on a floor of the building that is occupied by the 'wrong' practice group. I am in with (mostly) litigators but I am a business attorney.  The opportunity to move offices is coming up in October when a big office shuffle always happens. 

The other associates in my group are trying to "hook me up" with an office and assistant on the floor that is all associates with only 3 partners.  They claim that this is the best work environment because of the lack of partners.  They say that nobody watches when you come and when you go and that they all "have a good time" down there.

There are likely offices on the other business floor opening at the same time.  While I am not sure the exact locations of these offices, there is certain to be some near partners that I want to get more work from.

I am tempted to dodge the efforts to get on the associates-only floor and instead try to get an office where I am more likely to get on good deal teams and be able to work the office politics better.  I am still a junior associate but I have plans to stay at this firm and hope to make partner here.

Any advice?  Will it hurt me (in a significant way) to be on the associates' floor?  Will the need for face time on the other floor really kill me?