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Persuading Lawyers to Stay:
The Business Case & Best Practices
For Work/Life Balance
March 13, 2008
1:30 – 5:45 p.m., Loyola Law School
Reception following
3.5 hours of California CLE offered
Sponsored by the Beverly Hills Bar
Association, Women Lawyers Association of Los Angeles,
Black Women Lawyers and Los Angeles County Bar Association
As has been widely
reported, lawyers are increasingly dissatisfied with their ability to
maintain a challenging and successful legal practice along with an
interesting and full life outside the office. In the past, work-life balance
issues were raised almost exclusively by women with children, and
alternative schedules were frequently referenced as the “Mommy Track.”
Today, law students and recent graduates – male and female – want time to
pursue outside interests ranging from public interest matters to political
involvement to artistic and athletic endeavors as well as a life at home.
While these issues still seem to drive women from the law more often than
men, research shows that the profession loses scores of qualified lawyers
who find it too difficult to practice law and have a life.
This program will address several aspects of the work-life conundrum. The
first panel will focus on the “Business Case” for work-life balance
initiatives, highlighting the value to employers of retaining lawyers and
the impact work-life balance programs has on attorney retention. Next, a
panel of legal employers will discuss “Best Practices” for facilitating
work-life balance in the profession. Finally, a panel of in-house lawyers
will discuss the issue from the client’s perspective, both in terms of the
importance of maintaining a balance and diverse work force in their own
companies, but also in encouraging their outside lawyers to recruit a
diverse work force and retain the lawyers they hire.
Content for the program has been developed by Joan Williams and Linda Marks
of the Center for WorkLife Law at UC Hastings
www.worklifelaw.org
Professor Williams will participate in the Best Practices panel and will
discuss, among other things, her research showing why work-life balance
programs are critical to the retention and promotion of women lawyers. A
fuller description of the program and panelists, as well as information
about registering to attend the program, is available at
http://www.bhba.org/Committees_Sections/WLB.htm The program will
be held at Loyola Law School between 1:00 p.m. and 5:45 p.m. with a
reception to follow.
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