National Jurist - October 2008 - (Page 28) BEST FIRMS for work-life balance Work-life programs have become a necessity in today’s business environment, recruiters and managers say. Over the past few decades, the makeup of law firms has changed dramatically, forcing firms to become more flexible to keep their attorneys happy. BY KAREN DYBIS s a law student, finding a balance between the classroom and time with friends and family may seem like an impossible mission. So it can be hard to imagine what will happen when you become a working professional. How can you create equilibrium between your billable hours and your building social life? A growing number of law firms are helping their employees do exactly that, and they say the rewards are significant for both sides. Thankfully, it is easier than ever to locate the best law firms for a work-life balance. Over the past two years, several new rankings have emerged that outline which firms are the most progressive in this regard. Thanks to magazines like Working Mother and groups like Building a Better Legal Profession, students can quickly determine a law firm’s commitment to issues such as parental leave, gender equality, part-time partnership opportunities and the like. Winston & Strawn, Jones Day and Hughes Hubbard & Reed are just three of many firms in New York that received an ‘A’ for work-life balance by Building a Better Legal Profession in their 2008 ranking. This new set includes an expanded market of firms in northern and southern California, Chicago, Boston and Washington, D.C. See page 30 for firms in each market. Choosing the right firm to work for is both a personal and professional decision, said Irene Hahn, a Stanford Law student and member of the Building a Better Legal Profession executive board. “Law students are beginning to demand 28 THE NATIONAL JURIST October 2008 more out of their workplaces — to demand a certain quality of experience rather than quietly grinning and bearing whatever they are handed,” Hahn said. WORK-LIFE BALANCE The situation is indeed critical. The legal profession is in a work-life crisis with 78 percent of associates leaving law firms by their fifth year and nearly half of women lawyers leaving the profession at some point in their careers, according to Working Mother, which recently produced its second annual list of the best law firms for women. “We hope that by recognizing the pioneering firms that have already moved the http://www.workingmother.com http://www.betterlegalprofession.org http://www.betterlegalprofession.org
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