Editors' Blog

The maternal dilemma

Posted 7/11/2006 by legalweekblogs.com SU

The issue of work-life balance is not often regarded as one involving life or death choices.

But that appears to have been the tragic outcome for one legal couple, who believe their baby, who was born prematurely, died as a direct result of the mother working “incredibly hard” during her pregnancy. You can read her husband’s posting here. He makes the point that firms have a responsibility for the welfare of their staff and should be actively encouraging pregnant women to stop working long before the birth is due.

The posting was in response to a Career Clinic question concerning the length of maternity leave associates can realistically take without jeopardising their partnership prospects. Many responses are from women who have concluded that motherhood and partnership are simply incompatible. Other contributors are more upbeat, but few deny the extra hurdle that is put in the way of women who aspire to both having a family and being partners.

This comment from a female associate sums up the prevailing mood: "Ironically, at some firms (including my own) male associates becoming new fathers are sometimes viewed benevolently - given occasional time off to collect children from childminders and so on - where equivalent requests from female lawyers would definitely be viewed as a lack of ambition."