Biglaw, Pregnancy / Paternity

Biglaw Firm Updates Parental Leave Policy To Address Unique Challenges New Parents Face

This firm wants its associates to succeed as lawyers *and* as parents.

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As law firms continue to become more and more progressive, the journey into parenthood no longer seems to be considered an inconvenience for attorneys. Case in point: yet another major law firm has updated and expanded its parental leave policy, ushering in a welcome change for a new generation of lawyers.

Which firm is the latest to modernize its maternity and paternity leave policies? That would be Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson, which announced yesterday that it was changing the name of its policy to “Parental Leave Policy,” clarifying that its primary caregiver leave and general parental leave are both completely gender-neutral. Fried Frank currently offers 5 weeks of general parental leave, an additional 5 weeks of primary caregiver leave, and 8 weeks of disability for birth mothers. As part of the expansion of its parental leave policy, the firm will now allow new parents to take leave at any time during the first 12 months of a child’s arrival.

Leaders at Fried Frank have recognized that new parents transitioning back to work at the firm face many difficult and unique challenges after the birth or adoption of their children, so they recently decided to update their parental leave policy to make it easier for lawyers to return to the office. Under the new policy, primary caregivers will be automatically eligible to work a 75 percent schedule during the first six months of their return to the workplace. During that time, their compensation rate will remain unchanged, and hours used to determine bonus eligibility will be annualized (for both their parental leave time and their time in the return-to-work program). New parents must opt out of the program if they don’t want the leeway that the firm’s new 75 percent schedule provides.

“The happiness and success of our attorneys is a top priority at Fried Frank. We are committed to doing what we can to ensure a positive experience when returning to work,” said David J. Greenwald, the firm’s chairman. “This policy update is consistent with our overall commitment to inclusion and retention efforts. We understand that the transition to parenthood is challenging and can be further compounded by returning to the workplace and trying to balance potentially competing commitments and priorities. This policy is an important tool to allow our attorneys to take the time they need in order to ensure a successful transition back to work in the context of what we hope will be a long career at the firm.”

That’s not the only way Fried Frank is making life easier for attorneys with children. The firm is also providing new parents with subsidized back-up child care, access to a wealth of programs and information via CCA’s work-life assistance program, as well as the option to request an flexible schedule. According to Annemarie Crouch, global director of human capital management at Fried Frank, even more programs for new parents are being offered: “The firm also offers a Working Parents Resource Group where parents can come together and discuss topics of interest among their peers. … The firm is committed to working with our attorneys to provide them with benefits and assistance to help them achieve a work/life balance that is right for them.”

Given the expansion of Fried Frank’s parental leave benefits, Crouch “hope[s] [attorneys] will make use of the policy to receive the support they need from the firm in connection with the birth or adoption of a child.” To that end, here’s what some associates at Fried Frank had to say about the firm’s new policies:

Neil Hood: As the father of a son born with medical complications, the opportunity to come back to work on a reduced-hour basis at full compensation is unexpectedly generous. Also, the fact that the new policy is gender-neutral is remarkable. My wife and I both appreciate that Fried Frank recognizes that I could be the primary caregiver to my son, as his father, and therefore given a longer period of parental leave. I hope other firms (and companies at large) follow suit.

Chelsea P. Azrak: The policy is a welcome change for new parents who, for the first time, are learning to balance work life with home life and are figuring out what works with respect to child care options.  I am confident that the policy is a step towards helping the firm retain female associates and partners.

Candice Pueschel: I’m really excited for the change in our parental leave policy because it gives me the opportunity to continue to focus on my career while reducing some of the stress of trying to be a top performing lawyer and a top performing mom. I no longer have to make the choice of taking a pay cut in order to ease back into work after my maternity leave is over, which I imagine will make the challenges of being a new mom, along with a newborn’s sleep schedule, a bit more manageable.

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Congratulations to Fried Frank for its willingness to assist new parents at the firm. With programs like these in place, it will be a lot easier for attorneys to successfully make the transformation from lawyer to parent and back again.

Staci ZaretskyStaci Zaretsky has been an editor at Above the Law since 2011. She’d love to hear from you, so please feel free to email her with any tips, questions, or comments. You can follow her on Twitter or connect with her on LinkedIn.

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