You must be on the East Coast or in NYC. Here in Houston, we giggle at lawyers who sign themselves that.
There's no rule that says they have to. Ergo, it's an affectation - harmless and irritating, but an affectation nevertheless.
I'm sure there's plenty of stuff you all laugh at the east coast about, just as we laugh at you all.
there are regional differences. i am in DC, all of our pleadings list our names with an ESQ. it is not personal affectation, it is practice. i have seen opposing counsel use THE HONORABLE before their names, instead of using the ESQ. which strikes me as bizarre, but hey. i don't see any pleadings from Texas in my ofc, so i will take your word for it that they would laugh at our little esq's : )