Author: TSA Press

Ed.
note:
This
article
is
part
of
Parental
Leave
&
The
Legal
Profession,
a
special
series
for
Above
the
Law
that
explores
the
realities
of
parental
leave
and
return-to-work
in
law
firms.
From
planning
leave
to
reintegration,
from
the
role
of
managers
to
the
mental
load
of
Biglaw
parents,
these
articles
bring
research,
clinical
insight,
and
practical
strategies
to
help
lawyers
and
the
firms
that
employ
them
navigate
one
of
the
most
critical
transitions
of
their
careers.

Hiding
baby
bumps
under
flowy
tops.
Associates
dreading
the
“time-off”
conversation.
Managing
partners
saying
as
little
as
possible
so
they
don’t
“say
the
wrong
thing.”
How
can
something
so
commonplace
in
a
big
organization
—
after
all,

69
percent
of
US
adults
have
children
—
be
talked
about
so
little?

The
legacy
of
one-income
households
and
male-dominated
workforces
permeates
the
law
profession,
even
as
so
much
has
changed
in
legal
education,
opportunities
for
young
female
lawyers,
and
the
U.S.
workplace
generally. 

That
means
that
taking
leave
is
still
perceived
as
contrary
to
firm
goals
and
a
net
loss
for
a
team
and
the
individual.
Systems
are
not
structured
to
plan
the
time,
optimize
it,
and
identify
and
appreciate
long-term
benefits
of
parental
leave.  

Yet,
despite
the
fear
and
judgment
about
time
away,
policies
are
often
relatively
generous
at
law
firms,
for
legal
professionals
if
not
support
staff,
in
comparison
to
many
other
industries.
Law
firm
leave
policies
fill
a
gap
left
by
federal
policies
that
poorly
support
working
families
in
the
country.
The
United
States
is
the
only
OECD
country
without
mandatory
paid
leave.
In
the
past
several
years,
an
increasing
number
of
states
have
initiated
paid
leave
requirements;
big
firm
policies
generally
surpass
those
plans
as
well.

Four
to
six
months
(or
more)
of
leave
guaranteed
at
full
pay
sounds
like
a
dream
to
those
in
many
fields…
until
one
hears
stories
of
poor
treatment,
lost
opportunities,
and
being
sidelined
as
a
new
parent
in
a
way
that
sticks
in
the
long
term.
At
law
firms,
women
often
talk
about
pressure
to
return
early
and
pay
decreasing
after
they
return
from
leave.
They
share
stories
of
being
left
out
of
important
new
work
because
of
beliefs
about
their
capacity,
and
of
receiving
little
to
no
flexibility
around
how
they
return
to
intense
work
hours.
Meanwhile,
men
are
assumed
to
not
be
“primary
caregivers,”
an
outdated
categorization
alive
in
many
policies,
and
discouraged
from
asking
for
family
leave
or
taking
more
than
a
few
weeks
even
when
the
firm
has
policies
that
offer
more
expansive
leave.
We
regularly
hear
stories
of
those
who
say
their
decision
to
change
firms
was
a
direct
result
of
how
the
firm
handled
their
period
of
parental
leave.

The
parental
leave
topic
is
therefore
not
only
about
policy
and
compliance
but
also
about
culture.
A

2023
ABA
report
on
the
legal
careers
of
parents
and
child
caregivers
concluded
there
was
“an
urgent
need
to
change
the
paradigm”
after
finding
that
taking
leave
was
held
against
parents
and
that
61
percent
of
mothers
and
26
percent
of
fathers
experienced
demeaning
comments
about
being
a
working
parent.
In
a

2021
study,
35
percent
of
lawyers
surveyed
reported
that
their
advancement
to
partnership
was

negatively
affected
by
taking
parental
leave.

What
is
the
paradigm
shift
that
can
dislodge
the
patterns
and
assumptions
that
underly
unspoken
parent
penalties?

First,
there
is
a
need
to
address
the
topic
head
on
with
direct
communication
and
planning:
For
managers,
it’s
about
becoming
informed
and
planning
strategically
for
leave
periods,
communicating
openly
with
team
members.
Genuine
dialogue
covering
an
off-boarding
plan,
communication
preferences
during
leave,
and
a
re-onboarding
process
demonstrate
leadership
strength
and
trust
in
the
individual
and
wider
team
to
successfully
navigate
these
short-
or
medium-term
changes.
To
support
a
productive
and
loyal
workforce
in
the
real
world
over
the
long
term,
parental
leave
is
incorporated
in
workplace
culture
and
even
serves
as
a
professional
development
opportunity.
(Yes,
that’s
right!
Specific
forms
of
professional
development
through
parental
leave
will
be
explored
in
future
articles
of
this
series.)  

In
our
experience,
a
few
strong
leaders
at
a
firm
who
ask
questions,
mentor
new
parents,
and
accept
life
events
as
inevitable
create
supportive
environments
and
engender
long-term
loyalty.
New
parents
who
leave
their
jobs
generally
do
so
as
a
result
of
poor
manager
support,
leaving
the
firm
rather
than
the
field.
The
flip
side
is
managers
who
work
to
retain
staff:
Parents
are
“an
incredibly
motivated”
workforce
and,
according
to

research
by
Vivvi,
provide
$18
in
benefit
for
every
$1
spent
on
supporting
them.
Just
consider
the
cost
of
recruiting,
onboarding,
and
training
new
hires
at
your
firm.

Paradigm
shifts
also
depend
on
communication
and
proactivity
by
lawyers
anticipating
leave.
Work
with
HR
and
partners
to
become
informed
about
policies
affecting
leave,
so
that
everyone
is
on
the
same
page.
Also,
consider
that
availing
of
leave
in
the
short
term
will
create
more
ease
in
the
long
term,
benefitting
mental
health,
careers,
the
firm,
and
families.
Throughout
the
process,
have
potentially
difficult
conversations:
Share
concerns
about
the
hidden
costs
of
leave
including
lost
opportunities
and
the
desire
to
be
kept
abreast
of
case
developments.
Express
a
desire
to
meet
new
clients
in
the
period
after
leave
and
address
assumptions
head
on
—
for
example,
the
willingness
to
travel
if
that’s
relevant.
The
more
we
speak
directly
about
career
development
needs,
the
less
people
decide
for
us.

Over
the
course
of
this
series,
we
will
address
what
is
often
a
communication
void
in
the
legal
profession,
flagging
common
biases,
conflicts,
and
opportunities
related
to
parental
leave.
Upcoming
articles
will
benefit
new
or
repeat
parents,
on
one
hand,
and
firm
management
on
the
other.
We’ll
dig
into
how
to
plan
your
leave
and
your
return
without
tanking
your
career
and
the
mental
load
of
working
parenthood
in
Biglaw
for
women
and
men.
We’ll
cover
what
managers
and
firms
need
to
do
differently
for
the
well-being
of
not
just
employees
but
the
firm
itself,
building
systems
and
strengthening
firm
culture.
We
have
practical
tips,
communication
strategies,
and
coaching
insights
to
share,
along
with
a
good
number
of
stories.
Consider
the
professional
development
opportunities
of
leave
and
how
lawyers
might
not
just
endure
leave
but
use
it
to
recharge
their
legal
careers.
Join
our
discussion,
no
matter
your
gender,
generation,
or
role
at
your
firm. 

Marny
Requa,
JD
is
an
academic,
coach,
and
consultant
with
global
experience
and
gender
equity
expertise.

Dr.
Anne
Welsh
is
a
clinical
psychologist,
executive
coach,
and
consultant
with
a
specialization
in
supporting
working
parents
in
law.
Both
are
certified
RETAIN
Parental
Leave
Coaches,
engaging
a
research-backed
methodology
to
support
and
retain
employees
as
they
grow
their
families.

If
you’re
not
active
on
LinkedIn,
let
me
remind
you
it’s
2025.
It’s
free
(unless
you
have
a
premium
account,
which
I
have
because
I
am
a
heavy
user
of
the
platform),
it’s
portable
(I
interact
with
it
mainly
on
my
cell
phone),
it’s
easy
to
use
(in
five
minutes,
I
can
teach
you
everything
you
need
to
know)
and
it’s
something
you
can
do
in
those
few
minutes
of
each
day
when
you’re
waiting
for
something
or
between
tasks.

Why
LinkedIn?
Because
your
potential
referral
sources
and
clients
are
on
LinkedIn.
Because
it
is
a
safe
space,
largely
free
of
flamethrowers
and
trolls.
Because
you
can
build
a
tribe
there
that
will
support
you
and
walk
with
you
on
your
legal
journey.
No
other
platform
is
better
suited
for
professionals
communicating
with
other
professionals.

Let
me
briefly
share
my
LinkedIn
journey. 
I
joined
in
2008.
Then
it
was
essentially
a
resume-sharing
site.
I
didn’t
really
know
what
to
do
with
the
platform.
I
re-engaged
in
2011. 
Again,
it
hadn’t
evolved
much,
and
I
was
still
confused
by
what
value
it
offered
me
(unless
I
was
looking
for
a
job).
In
2016,
I
wrote
my
second
book,
The
Associate
Handbook,
and
re-engaged
with
LinkedIn
to
promote
the
book.
And
I
committed
that
year
to
post
every
day,
forever.
 And
I
have,
including
weekends
and
holidays. 
And
for
nine
years,
that’s
what
I
have
done,
growing
my
following
from
a
few
hundred
members
to
close
to
80,000.

During
that
time,
I
have
read
every
book
and
listened
to
every
podcast
episode
I
could
on
LinkedIn
and
realized
that
succeeding
on
the
platform
is
simple
–
find
a
topic
or
topics
you
enjoy,
preferably
your
primary
areas
of
practice,
and
post
about
it
every
day
forever,
and
engage
with
those
who
engage
with
your
posts. 
That’s
it. 
It’s
that
simple.
Do
that,
and
you
will
benefit
from
LinkedIn.

There
are
no
secrets
about
LinkedIn.
There
are
no
magic
potions,
silver
bullets,
or
shortcuts.
Post
every
day
on
a
topic
that
means
something
to
you.
You
will
build
a
following,
a
tribe,
and
a
group
that
will
get
to
know,
like,
and
trust
you
and
will
send
you
work
or
will
help
in
another
way
(offer
speaking
or
writing
opportunities,
offer
you
a
job,
or
offer
you
something
else
you
want
or
need).

But,
you
say,
how
do
I
post
every
day?
Let’s
assume
your
primary
practice
area
is
AI. 
I
regularly
post
about
AI. 
It’s
easy
to
share
a
recent
decision,
order,
regulation,
or
article
with
your
hot
take. 
That
takes
a
few
minutes
a
day.
It’s
easy
to
share
information
about
the
latest
platform,
lawsuit,
or
issue
related
to
AI.
If
you’re
in
that
space,
you
have
no
shortage
of
content. 
Likewise,
if
you’re
a
trial
lawyer,
you
can
discuss
every
aspect
of
trial
over
hundreds
of
posts. 
If
you
handle
employment,
there
is
no
shortage
of
information
to
share.
The
only
thing
that
prevents
you
from
posting
every
day
is
you. 
You
know
what
you
do,
and
there
is
enough
content
to
post
every
day
for
a
lifetime
and
not
run
out
of
content.

And
yes,
you
need
a
good
headshot,
a
background
image,
a
clever
tag
line,
and
a
bio
that
is
in
plain
English,
preferably
in
the
first
person,
and
all
the
other
things
to
make
your
landing
page
look
and
appear
captivating.
But
to
succeed
on
the
platform,
you
need
to
create
content
that
others
will
be
interested
in,
read,
consume,
and
associate
you
with,
and
think
of
you
when
they
have
a
given
type
of
case
in
your
neck
of
the
woods.

I
know
a
lawyer
who
specializes
in
writing
only
on
insurance
coverage
and
receives
referrals
as
a
result. 
I
know
someone
who
writes
about
non-competes
and
receives
cases
as
a
result. 
I
know
someone
who
writes
on
data
privacy
and
gets
data
privacy
cases.
Write
about
what
you
know
every
day,
and
never
plan
on
stopping,
and
it
will
pay
off. 
Too
often,
I
see
folks
drop
off
the
platform
after
a
few
weeks
or
months,
because
they
haven’t
gotten
any
cases. 
Give
it
time. 
If
you
build
it,
they
will
come.

You
don’t
need
to
hire
a
LinkedIn
guru
for
hundreds
or
thousands
of
dollars
to
maximize
your
presence
on
the
platform.
Update
your
profile
page,
pick
one
or
two
topics
to
write
about,
write
on
those
topics
every
day,
and
engage
with
those
who
engage
with
your
content. 
Do
that
consistently,
and
it
will
pay
off.
It’s
a
simple
formula
that
produces
favorable
results.

Frank
Ramos
is
a
partner
at
Goldberg
Segalla
in
Miami,
where
he
practices
commercial
litigation,
products,
and
catastrophic
personal
injury. You
can
follow
him
on LinkedIn,
where
he
has
about
80,000
followers.

It’s
no
secret
that
employers
are
struggling
when
it
comes
to
healthcare
costs.
A
new

survey
from
Willis
Towers
Watson
revealed
that
more
than
half
of
employers
were
over
budget
by
an
average
of
4.5
percentage
points
in
2024. 

The
survey,
released
Monday,
received
responses
from
417
employers
with
over
100
employees.
About
81%
were
self-insured
and
19%
were
fully-insured.

It
found
that
employers
don’t
expect
any
relief
soon
either.
They
anticipate
their
healthcare
costs
to
increase
by
9.1%
in
2026
(before
making
plan
changes),
compared
to
8.1%
in
2025
and
7%
in
2024.
After
making
plan
changes,
these
numbers
are
8%,
7%
and
6%,
respectively.
The
top
drivers
of
these
costs
are
pharmacy
costs
(specifically
specialty
drugs
and
GLP-1s),
high-cost
claimants
and
chronic
conditions. 

When
asked
how
they
plan
to
manage
costs
in
the
next
three
years,
59%
of
employers
said
they
are
looking
to
implement
“broader
cost-saving
actions,”
47%
will
increase
cost
shifting
onto
employees,
and
32%
will
absorb
costs.
When
looking
at
the
last
three
years,
the
percentage
of
employers
that
adopted
these
strategies
was
46%,
44%
and
50%,
respectively.

“Fewer
employers
are
absorbing
rising
costs
because
it’s
becoming
too
expensive.
They’re
also
avoiding
aggressive
cost-shifting
because
it
can
affect
employee
health,
satisfaction
and
retention.
Instead,
employers
are
looking
to
bold
disruptive
changes
that
control
costs
and
improve
health
to
create
a
more
sustainable
path
forward,”
said
Tim
Stawicki,
chief
actuary
of
Health
&
Benefits
at
WTW.

Employers
also
plan
to
hold
their
vendors
more
accountable,
with
46%
of
companies
evaluating
vendor
performance.
In
addition,
36%
are
taking
medical
plans
out
to
bid,
and
another
50%
are
planning
or
considering
doing
this.

About
41%
of
businesses
are
also
adopting
alternative
plan
designs,
and
46%
are
planning
or
considering
doing
so
in
the
future.
These
include
using
networks
that
limit
access
to
certain
providers,
offering
more
transparency,
and
providing
more
care
navigation.

Additionally,
employers
are
increasingly
dissatisfied
with
their
pharmacy
benefit
manager:
75%
have
or
will
take
their
PBM
out
to
bid.
About
49%
are
using
transparent
contract
structures
and
58%
have
conducted
audits
on
their
pharmacy
benefits.

When
it
comes
to
managing
GLP-1
costs,
employers’
strategies
include
requiring
participation
in
a
lifestyle
management
program,
implementing
a
30-day
fill
limit
and
higher
cost
sharing.

Moreover,
employers
are
becoming
more
interested
in
leveraging
AI.
About
80%
said
they
think
AI
will
“fundamentally
change
how
healthcare
benefits
are
managed
in
the
next
three
years.”
Employers
see
the
most
potential
for
AI
in
healthcare
through
tools
that
enhance
navigation,
personalize
decision-making,
improve
employee
experience,
streamline
benefits
communication
and
assess
healthcare
vendors.

“Employers
must
take
a
more
revolutionary
approach
to
address
both
immediate
cost
pressures
and
long-term
cost
trends,
especially
since
healthcare
costs
appear
firmly
on
an
upward
trajectory.
At
the
same
time,
employers
seek
innovations
in
clinical
programs,
technology,
and
effective
uses
of
AI
in
healthcare
to
address
the
burden
of
chronic
disease
and
to
help
people
protect
their
health,”
said
Courtney
Stubblefield,
managing
director
of
Health
&
Benefits
at
WTW.

Photo:
santima.studio,
Getty
Images

*
Judge
considering
sanctioning
DOJ
lawyers
over
repeated
statements
compromising
fairness
of
Mangione
trial.
[NY
Times]

*
Roberta
Kaplan
representing
Disney
shareholders
seeking
discovery
to
determine
if
Kimmel
suspension
demonstrates
a
breach
of
fiduciary
duties.
[Semafor]

*
Group
challenging
SEC
gag
rule,
which
prevents
parties
who
voluntarily
settle
enforcement
cases
from
turning
around
and
telling
the
market
they
did
nothing
wrong,
seeks
en
banc
review
from
the
Ninth
Circuit.
But,
you
know,
you
don’t

have
to
settle.
[Law.com]

*
Supreme
Court
could
decide
if
prediction
markets
are
betting
sites
just
because
they
let
you
“bet
on
stuff.”
[National
Law
Journal]

*
“The
Ryder
Cup
Is
an
Uncanny
Mirror
for
UK
Big
Law’s
Aspirations”
[Bloomberg
Law
News]

*
Law
partners
launch
accusations
against
each
other
ranging
from
stealing
firm
money
to
cocaine
use.
[WCSC]

*
ABA
argues
that
the
administration’s
law
firm
intimidation
policy
is
very
real.
[Law360]

*
FTC
suit
over
Amazon
Prime
cancellations
heading
to
trial.
[ABA
Journal]

HARARE
–
At
least
10
miners
are
dying
of
silicosis
every
month
in
Kwekwe,
opposition
legislator
Judith
Tobaiwa
told
parliament,
raising
alarm
over
the
growing
health
crisis
in
the
country’s
mining
sector.

Silicosis,
an
incurable
lung
disease
caused
by
prolonged
inhalation
of
silica
dust,
has
become
a
silent
killer
among
artisanal
and
small-scale
miners.
According
to
recent
statistics,
about
19
percent
of
Zimbabwe’s
miners
are
living
with
the
condition,
which
makes
them
more
vulnerable
to
respiratory
failure
and
diseases
such
as
tuberculosis.

Tobaiwa,
the
Kwekwe
Central
MP,
told
lawmakers
last
Thursday
that
the
death
toll
in
her
constituency
was
particularly
shocking.

“This
is
happening
across
the
country,
but
I
have
witnessed
death
in
my
constituency.
Hospital
authorities
are
confirming
that
about
10
people
die
from
silicosis
every
month.
Just
two
days
ago
we
lost
five
people
to
the
disease,”
she
said.

The
legislator
blamed
Chinese-owned
mining
companies
for
exposing
workers
to
dangerous
conditions
without
basic
protective
wear.

“Young
people
are
being
exposed
to
health
hazards,
particularly
silicosis.
The
majority
of
the
mining
companies,
especially
those
run
by
Chinese
nationals,
are
not
providing
employees
with
adequate
protective
safety
wear,
and
their
workers
end
up
contracting
silicosis,”
Tobaiwa
charged.

She
urged
the
minister
of
mines
to
issue
a
statement
in
parliament
outlining
government
measures
to
enforce
safer
working
conditions.

They’re
Back
In
The
Hot
Seat:
They’re
on
probation
because
of
their
low
bar
exam
scores.
Kamala
Harris
Calls
Out
CEOs
For
Not
Resisting
Trump:
Did
your
husband
get
the
message?
Paul
Weiss
And
Kirkland
Have
Some
Explaining
To
Do:
How
is
their
pro
bono
work
legal?
Are
YOU
The
Next
One
On
The
Terrorist
List?:
The
White
House
announced
a
big
net
to
capture
dissent
with.

Ed.
Note:
Welcome
to
our
daily
feature

Trivia
Question
of
the
Day!

According
to
Bloomberg
Law’s
2024
Attorney
Well-Being
Report,
what
percentage
of
respondents
say
they
have
disrupted
sleep?

Hint:
Attorneys
experience
disrupted
sleep
and
anxiety
at
high
levels.

See
the
answer
on
the
next
page.