Biglaw Perk Watch: Kramer Levin to 18 Weeks
The latest law firm to adopt a policy of 18 weeks of maternity leave: Kramer Levin. The email announcing the change and the new policy, after the jump.
Tables of law-firm policies on maternity leave and paternity leave, maintained by ATL surveys guru Justin Bernold, are available here and here, respectively.
In other Kramer Levin news, there is a rumor making the rounds that a certain high-profile young New York lawyer recently interviewed there for a job. If you think you know who we’re talking about, and are in a position to confirm (or deny), please email us. Thanks.
Update: Yep, the commenters are correct. Aaron Charney recently interviewed for a job with Kramer Levin.
KRAMER LEVIN NAFTALIS & FRANKEL — MEMORANDUM — NEW PARENTAL LEAVE POLICY
From: Pearlman, Paul S.
Sent: Wednesday, May 07, 2008 10:49 AM
To: All NY Associates; All NY Special Counsel; All NY Counsel
Subject: New Primary Child Care Leave Benefit
We are pleased to inform you that Kramer Levin has adopted a new Primary Child Care Leave Policy, which provides primary child caregivers four weeks of paid leave in addition to that already provided by existing policy. This new benefit is available to attorneys who have been employed by the Firm for at least one year and must be taken within six months after the child’s birth, adoption or foster care placement.
This new benefit means that a birth mother who is the primary caregiver is now eligible for up to 18 weeks of consecutive paid leave in connection with the birth of a child. This leave combines the new four weeks of paid Primary Child Care Leave with up to fourteen weeks of leave already provided for by existing disability and child care leave policies.*
A birth father or parent of an adopted child or child placed through foster care who is the primary caregiver is now eligible for up to 8 weeks of consecutive paid leave following the birth, adoption or foster care placement of a child. This leave combines the new four weeks of paid Primary Child Care Leave with four weeks of paid leave already provided for by existing child care leave policies.
A copy of the new policy is attached and will be incorporated in due course into the Attorney Policy Manual. This policy is effective immediately and will be extended to all eligible attorneys currently on parental leave. This new policy is in keeping with the firm’s longstanding commitment to assist our attorneys in balancing the demands of their personal lives with the responsibilities of their professional lives.
P.S.P.
__________________
* Note that in certain circumstances, employees may be entitled to extended leave under our disability policies.
KRAMER LEVIN NAFTALIS & FRANKEL — PAID PRIMARY CHILD CARE LEAVE POLICY
Eligible primary child caregivers will be granted a four-week paid leave of absence in connection with the birth, adoption or foster care placement of a child. The four-week paid leave under this policy is in addition to and consecutive with any period of paid disability relating to pregnancy and/or delivery and any period of paid child care leave. The paid leave generally must be taken within six months of the child’s birth, adoption or foster care placement.
To be eligible for a paid primary child care leave, attorneys must be the primary child caregiver, must have been employed by the Firm for at least one year at the time of the child’s birth, adoption or placement, must be in good standing, and must state in good faith that they intend to return to the Firm for at least six months following the leave.
All paid and unpaid leaves and any sabbatical that is used in connection with a leave of absence after the birth, adoption, or foster care placement of the attorney’s child shall terminate no later than six months after the birth, adoption, or foster care placement of the attorney’s child.
(38) Comments
Comments
first
Aaron Charney or Eliot Spitzer? They are the two most famous unemployed NYC lawyers that I can think of.
care?
It was Charney. I saw him and can confirm.
Aaron Charney to Kramer Levin !!!
KRAMER LEVIN NAFTALIS & FRANKEL
Never heard of it... Sounds TTT to me.
I had my first child in the UK in early 2007. By statute I was given 52 weeks maternity leave, of which the first 39 weeks was paid. Everybody gets this, Biglaw or local post office worker.
Aaron Charney is already using his maternity leave at Kramer. He will be out of the office until September.
Can we get the table in order of vault ranking, rather than alphabetically? It seems that the expanded maternity leave is being implemented by vault ranking (i.e., more V15 firms than V40 firms have implemented 18 weeks).
I think Kramer Levin should hire Charney. He is a good lawyer, and his involvement in a lawsuit against his former firm - one that settled, indicating his case had some merit - should not bar him from Biglaw for life.
Agree with 10:08.
S&C ---> Kramer Levin is just the right drop-off in terms of prestige. It is the kind of lateral move Charney might have made quietly if he had not filed suit.
Charney is a whiny little manbearpig who should be beaten in the town square every Tuesday.
KRAMER LEVIN NAFTALIS & FRANKEL
Never heard of it... Sounds TTT to me.
--------------------------------------------------------
You wouldn't if you practice in a TTT city.
This whole maternity/paternity leave issue is hilarious. Please, please young associates, take all 18 weeks of paid leave!! Partnership will become a fantasy if you even have a job in a year.
These firms are all whores with these policies. Not one of them is sincere about having associates really take this time off. I would prefer more money than stupid "benefits" like 4 weeks vacation (which will never be used) or 18 weeks of leave (which will only kill your career). These firms are using this to weed out the people who are unwilling to sell their souls to the devil. Don't take the bait!
This policy is patently discriminatory against men.
Also, IVF benefits are bullshit.
Debate.
10:08 - Charney's problem is not that he filed suit (lawyers should be supportive of any persons right to pursue justice if they are aggrieved or violated) but the manner in which he "promoted" his suit (e.g. filing S&C's partnership agreement and doing interviews & media). That was undignified for an officer of the court.
Haha. 10:15 said "manbearpig"
10:29 - You are empty.
Could we please STOP with the maternity policies? I can hardly think of anything less interesting.
Paul Hasting also does 18 weeks if you don't first get fired for getting pregnant.
10..29am hit the nail on the head.
Any Biglaw firm can say, "we have all these great benefits".....but the bottom line is this: how many billable hours do you want?
My firm could give me 2 weeks vacation or 8 weeks....or 3 weeks maternity leave or 12 weeks...you still have to make your billbales. the whole thing is gesture bs.....and is a complete charade.
10:58: Law is pretty damn boring too, but I guess that's offset by the fact that it's also important? duh
some firms fill in the billables with 'phantom hours' based on performance during the months you actually worked
Maternity affects such a small number of associates that it is an easy perk for firms to provide and makes them look so human and friendly.
What their policy on heartless post-miscarriage stealth firings? Yea or Ney?
Most firms don't require billable hours when you are out on maternity. The target billables for the year is pro-rated to reflect your maternity leave. I don't think it is bs at all.
I think female attorneys shouldn't have kids and probably shouldn't be attorneys.
Even if we weren't attorneys, 12:27, we still wouldn't date you.
Hugs and kisses,
Female Attorneys Everywhere
12:27 WAAHHHH MOM THE GIRRRLS DON'T LIKE ME THEY KEEP LOOKING OUT MY WINDOW.
The gradual increase in maternity leave is just an increase in severance. Firms want female attorneys with kids to leave. They hope they don't come back. If they do, they will eventually fire them because of low hours or 'performance.' except for an example to cite that they don't of course.
this isn't a job perk, it's just like amping up unemployment benefits. But hey, just take the 18 weeks, come back for a month or two, don't get a bonus, get fired and sign the release for three more months pay. Just don't email anyone about it.
12:27 sucks. He is not funny. Everyone knows that females make better attorneys than males.
Great news out form just gave every associate 20 weeks vacation a year!!!!!
*We still have bill 2200 a year which now means that I will now be working from 6am to mignight for the remaining 32 weeks!!!!
This is getting silly. Now women that have a baby while working at BIGLAW can milk the firm for 7 1/2 months of full pay while not working. 4 1/2 months for maternity leave, then 3 months severance when they scream "discrimination!" and threaten to sue after (i)they return to work, (ii) demand thereafter to leave at 5:00 every day to pick up junior (when they show up because junior isn't sick), and (iii) are given poor performance reviews because they run for the door at 5:00 every day while their co-workers are stuck covering for them until midnight and on the weekends.
Law firms should take a page out of Cravath's book from the 60's and not employ women.
Apparently Paul Weiss does not make women partners after maternity leave.
Kramer Levin has recently made two female partners who were PART-TIME; both took maternity leave several times, and one made partner WHILE on maternity leave. It's great to be a woman at Kramer, and the 18 weeks is just the tip of the iceberg.
I am a female KL associate and agree with 3:32 that the benefits here are unbelievable. Also, the two female partners mentioned above are amazing. They are incredibly smart and talented lawyers, take time to mentor associates, and are fantastic to work for. KL is truly a great place for women and for people who don't want to give up their families and lives, but who don't want to sacrifice the quality of work.
Please keep posting these maternity updates. Many of us are checking ATL for this very topic and counting on ATL to prove to firms that 18 weeks maternity is now the MARKET STANDARD, and in turn, get our firms to change their policies. Don't listen to the haters on this board!