From the press release titled "Billable Hours or Home for Dinner? Firms Face Gender Challenges as Nearly Half of New Attorneys are Women":
The legal profession is in a work/life crisis, with 78% of associates leaving law firms by their fifth year and nearly ½ of women lawyers leaving the profession at some point in their careers. The question is whether law firms will ever abandon their traditional practices to meet today’s rising female workforce demands? They might have to, according to a special report in the August/September issue of Working Mother magazine. Produced in partnership with Flex-Time Lawyers, the report names the Best Law Firms for Women and examines the challenges and opportunities afforded to female lawyers.
“Women should not be denied the right to become partners, but the ‘billable hour’ system is not allowing them to advance in their careers and raise a family. The 100-hour work week model is just not effective,” said Carol Evans, CEO, Working Mother Media. “Today, with nearly half of law school graduates women, law firms will have to make a fundamental shift in their policies regarding partnership in order to remain competitive. We hope that by recognizing the pioneering firms that have already moved the needle, a paradigm shift will follow.”
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In order to effect change, Working Mother magazine and Flex-Time Lawyers partnered for the second year in a row to name the Best Law Firms for Women, which recognizes firms that have instituted female and family-friendly benefits. This year, 30% more applications were received, signifying the increased importance that law firms are placing on attracting and retaining women.
“Women should not be denied the right to become partners, but the ‘billable hour’ system is not allowing them to advance in their careers and raise a family. The 100-hour work week model is just not effective,” said Carol Evans, CEO, Working Mother Media. “Today, with nearly half of law school graduates women, law firms will have to make a fundamental shift in their policies regarding partnership in order to remain competitive. We hope that by recognizing the pioneering firms that have already moved the needle, a paradigm shift will follow.”
...
In order to effect change, Working Mother magazine and Flex-Time Lawyers partnered for the second year in a row to name the Best Law Firms for Women, which recognizes firms that have instituted female and family-friendly benefits. This year, 30% more applications were received, signifying the increased importance that law firms are placing on attracting and retaining women.
Click to read the rest of the press release and the list of the 50 firms.
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