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.
In
previous
articles
in
this
series,
we
covered
the
interplay
of
policy
and
culture
related
to
parental
leave
in
the
legal
profession
and
step-by-step
guidance
for
those
taking
leave.
The
key
to
a
successful
leave
is
not
in
the
hands
of
an
individual
attorney,
however.
It’s
dependent
on
the
approach
of
superiors
and
colleagues.
With
that
in
mind,
this
month
we
shift
our
lens
to
managers,
providing
insights
and
strategies
to
ensure
that
leave
periods
are
handled
with
ease
and
skill.
Managers
make
or
break
parental
leave
experiences,
supporting
employees
for
long-term
success
or,
conversely,
setting
them
up
for
stress
and
lower
productivity.
We
refer
to
individual
managers
for
ease
of
discussion,
but
it
may
be
that
the
person
works
for
multiple
partners,
in
which
case
coordination
among
managers
may
be
necessary.
According
to
a
recent
study
of
women
executives
undertaken
by
Phoebe,
98
percent
of
women
want
to
continue
employment
full
time
post-pregnancy
and
only
15
percent
of
participants
noted
any
decreased
interest
in
work.
Yet
a
2023
ABA
study
found
that
61
percent
of
mothers
have
experienced
demeaning
comments
about
being
a
working
parent
(versus
only
26
percent
of
fathers).
Women’s
commitment
is
steady,
but
perceptions
about
them
change
as
a
result
of
parenthood.
Unfortunately,
this
bias
contributes
to
women
leaving
firms
when
they
otherwise
would
not.
Leaders
do,
however,
have
the
power
to
establish
a
productive
environment
and
even
disrupt
long-standing
norms.
What
are
top
strategies
for
managers?
-
First,
check
your
mindset.
Thoughts
such
as
“Here
we
go
again;”
“We’re
all
carrying
this
weight,”
“I
don’t
have
time
for
this,”
and
“I
always
wondered
if
she/he
was
really
committed,”
draw
on
societal
biases
about
gender
and
parenting.
They
reflect
a
scarcity
perspective
that
short-term
absences
and
external
commitments
are
a
net
loss
for
an
organization,
and
they
lead
to
isolation
of
individuals
and
negative
impacts
on
team-wide
morale
and
collaboration.
Alternatively,
treating
parenthood
as
not
uncommon,
yet
still
momentous,
has
tangible
benefits:
-
The
employee
is
engaged
and
committed
to
make
the
off-boarding
process
as
easy
as
possible
for
colleagues; -
Communication
is
smoother; -
Clients
are
more
likely
to
be
supported
with
the
transition
plan
and
therefore
more
satisfied
with
the
firm; -
Professional
development
opportunities
for
more
junior
staff
members
can
be
identified; -
Good
morale
among
team
members
has
a
ripple
effect,
translating
to
greater
longevity.
Firms
are
stronger
when
younger
team
members
can
see
themselves
at
the
firm
for
the
long
term,
including
their
potential
transition
to
parenthood
or
other
outside
endeavors
down
the
road; -
Finally,
the
employee
themselves
will
be
going
through
a
transformational
experience,
and
as
one
of
us
has
explored
elsewhere,
the
leadership
skills
of
parenthood
are
a
boon
to
the
workplace.
-
Second,
engage
in
a
planning
process.
While
HR
folks
are
key
to
the
compliance
side
of
planning
and
policy,
managers
need
to
be
involved
in
how
work
is
delegated,
including
active
conversations
with
the
employee.
How
can
you
initiate
a
robust
process
for
a
successful
transition,
given
the
time
constraints
of
legal
practice?
-
A
handful
of
well
organized
meetings
and
a
few
planning
documents
go
a
long
way.
Keep
in
mind
that
the
ROI
on
a
well-planned
leave
is
exponential,
saving
time
and
headaches
that
accompany
impromptu
or
unorganized
absences.-
Leave
the
HR
talk
to
the
HR
experts
and
focus
on
case
logistics,
work
allocation
during
the
employee’s
absence,
client
communication
plans,
and
off-boarding
and
re-onboarding. -
Take
time
to
check
in
with
your
employee.
Remind
them
that
they
are
a
valued
member
of
the
team
and
that
you
are
going
to
work
together
to
ensure
a
smooth
transition
leading
to
leave
and
upon
their
return.
-
Leave
-
Establish
a
framework
for
planning
and
team-wide
communication.-
Most
often
the
employee
will
draw
up
a
list
of
cases
and
activities
and
identify
a
delegation
plan
(who,
what,
and
when). -
You
can
ensure
that
there
is
a
clear
timeline
and
system
in
place
for
discussions,
status
updates,
and
collaborations
among
team
members. -
Importantly,
the
plan
should
envision
warm
handoffs
to
clients
when
relevant.
Rather
than
a
leave
period
seeming
to
leave
clients
in
limbo,
it
can
provide
an
opportunity
for
them
to
appreciate
the
breadth
of
attorneys
in
the
firm.
-
Most
-
Agree
on
a
communication
plan
for
the
period
of
leave.
Establishing
boundaries
about
leave
will
improve
peace
of
mind
for
all
involved
(who,
when,
through
what
channels,
and
about
what
matters?).
Quite
often
new
parents
do
want
to
be
informed
of
significant
developments
in
cases;
they
may
not,
however,
want
to
be
drawn
into
depths
of
work.
Your
support
around
the
communication
plan
is
vital. -
Develop
a
re-onboarding
plan.
A
smooth
return
starts
with
planning
for
it
before
leave.
Set
out
expectations
for
internal
and
external
meetings
after
the
employee
returns
to
work,
the
pace
of
work
during
the
initial
weeks,
and
projects
and
other
activities.
The
plan
may
change
as
cases
develop,
but
it
is
always
valuable
to
anticipate
the
matters
the
employee
will
re-engage
with
on
their
return
and
levels
of
priority.
This
coordination
is
useful
for
team
members
and
clients
and
is
often
surprisingly
informative,
engaging
and
aligning
the
employee’s
professional
goals
and
those
of
the
firm.
-
Third,
ensure
re-onboarding
is
smooth
and
successful.
An
employee’s
return
from
leave
is
perhaps
the
most
critical
to
long-term
success
and
productivity,
and
the
phase
can
be
handled
well
with
a
little
forethought.
The
starting
point
is
the
re-onboarding
plan
agreed
previously,
but
it
will
inevitably
require
some
modification.
-
Offer
a
conversation
with
your
employee
before
they
return:
What
has
changed
in
terms
of
their
plans
and
expectations,
your
priorities,
personnel
dynamics
at
the
firm,
and
activities
in
cases
and
projects?
Focus
on
what
they
need,
and
how
you
can
help
support
them. -
Be
empathetic.
Parents
are
motivated
to
meet
goals
and
succeed
at
work.
A
little
grace
can
give
them
peace
of
mind,
which
ultimately
will
allow
them
to
fulfill
their
commitments
to
the
firm. -
Flexibility
can
improve
the
foundation
of
a
return.
The
new
parent
may
request
a
shortened
workweek,
work-from-home
days,
or
flexible
hours
on
a
temporary
basis.
Be
prepared
with
what
options
are
available.
Is
firm
policy
fixed,
or
can
you
advocate
for
your
employee,
in
light
of
the
long-term
retention
and
advancement
benefits
of
short-term
schedule
modifications?
What
in-person
events
are
critical? -
Adaptability
and
consistency
can
coexist.
Babies
and
kids
don’t
always
adhere
to
a
plan.
Consider
the
extent
to
which
the
firm
can
adapt
to
unique
circumstances
that
might
arise
impacting
the
employee’s
schedule,
while
also
aiming
for
long-term
consistency
and
equity
among
team
members.
Parental
leave
provides
an
opportunity
to
demonstrate
true
leadership
through
challenges,
and
the
way
you
show
up
for
this
employee
will
have
a
massive
impact
on
their
career.
Leading
with
empathy
and
awareness
of
the
potential
for
growth
in
this
phase
will
pay
back
many
times
over.
This
article
has
focused
on
the
role
of
partners
and
managers,
and
in
future
editions
we’ll
explore
organization-wide
efforts
to
strongly
support
working
parents.
But
first,
next
month’s
feature
takes
a
deeper
dive
into
returns
from
leave.
We’ll
look
at
how
new
parents
can
navigate
their
return
in
a
way
that
supports
their
new
parenting
role
and
ongoing
career
growth.
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.