The August 13, 2008, Huffington Post Article cites a Work and Family Law Center survey of NYU students have considerable worry about their ability to balance there home and work lives. Focus on balancing home and family is not simply an issue for women attorneys, either. The study finds a that personal fulfillment is being prioritized over professional success across the board and that it is exerting pressure on the legal profession to recognize this trend. See the full article in the Huffington Post by following the link below.
Young lawyers are also willing to make tradeoffs in order to put family first. Seven out of 10 survey respondents, including both men and women, expect to make career sacrifices in order to have a satisfying personal life. Eight out of 10 indicated a willingness to trade money for time, that is, accept reduced earnings in return for flexibility and reduced hours. Over the past 10 years, law firms have been competing for talent by raising associate salaries exponentially, but the sterling salaries often come hand in hand with increased billable hour requirements and the expectation of 24/7 availability. Our survey shows that many young lawyers would happily trade those sky-high salaries in exchange for more personal time.
