Do BigLaw Firms Offer Parental Leave?

Parental leave in BigLaw has improved significantly over the past decade. Most top firms now offer meaningful paid leave for all new parents. But the details vary, and the gap between what a policy says on paper and how it works in practice can be wide.

What most firms offer

The standard at top firms is now 18 to 22 weeks of paid parental leave for the primary caregiver and 8 to 12 weeks for the secondary caregiver. Some firms have moved to gender-neutral policies that offer the same leave to all parents regardless of role.

A few firms stand out with particularly generous policies. Paul Weiss and Davis Polk have been leaders in this area. You can compare benefits across firms in the firm directory.

What to actually ask about

The number of weeks is just the starting point. Here is what you should also find out:

Is the leave fully paid? Most top firms offer full pay during parental leave, but some smaller or non-market firms reduce pay after a certain number of weeks.

Do you get billing credit? Some firms give billing hour credit during parental leave, meaning your time off does not count against your annual hours target. This is a big deal because it affects your bonus eligibility.

Is there a ramp-down or ramp-up period? Some firms offer reduced hours before and after leave. This makes the transition much more manageable.

How is leave used in practice? This is the most important question and the hardest to answer from a policy document. At some firms, associates take their full leave without any stigma. At others, there is subtle pressure to come back early or check emails during leave. Talk to associates who have actually used the policy.

The reality on the ground

Even at firms with great policies, the culture around parental leave varies by practice group and office. A transactional group in the middle of a deal cycle may put more pressure on associates to return quickly than a litigation group between trials.

The best way to evaluate this is to talk to associates who have recently become parents at the firm. Ask during callbacks or after you have an offer. The recruiter will give you the official policy, but associates will tell you what it is actually like.

What is changing

The trend is clearly toward more generous and more equitable leave policies. Client pressure, associate retention concerns, and competition for talent are all pushing firms in the right direction. The firms that offer the best parental leave policies tend to have better overall associate satisfaction.

If parental leave is important to you, make it part of your firm research. The firm directory is a good place to start comparing.