Just a side note regarding the “mommy track”: I interviewed with a woman who was about 8 months into her pregnancy with her second child. When I asked about her experience as a mother + attorney, she warned me to find out the specifics of any given firm’s maternity leave policy and part-time work policy. She said most firms like to skirt the issue with “we have a GREAT maternity leave policy and we also have GREAT part-time work arrangements.” In reality, however, maternity leave usually consists of a couple months off only to find that you’re about 3 months behind in what you have to do and part-time work entails working about 10 hours fewer/week at half the salary. She now works at Greenberg Traurig and says they have “real” part-time options; she gets into her office around 10am and gets home for dinner and also has time to take her daughter to ballet class. Also, I think Kirkland & Ellis gives you 4 months maternity leave (which I think is still not enough time to spend with your newborn, but it’s considered very generous in this field). I don’t know how many people are interested in this issue, but I hope this helps!

-- ChristinaYoun - 28 Jan 2008