Balancing Parenthood and Legal Careers

One challenge young lawyers encounter—especially in demanding corporate roles—is starting a family while advancing in their careers. Managing and balancing work and family isn’t something they teach in school. 

Guest Kimberly “Kim” Maney is a busy, successful in-house corporate attorney for a global corporation. She’s also a mom and a spouse who taught herself how to balance 10-hour days and constant demands from her job while carving out time for family. Raising a family is hard work, everything from coordinating childcare to spending meaningful time with children. And then, later, as kids grow up, there are soccer games, ballet recitals, and vacations.

 In today’s world of connectivity, it can be too easy to just “take a call” during the family trip to Disney World. You’ll need to develop and communicate boundaries with your coworkers and your organization. 

Maney shares how she leaned on coworkers who were already parents and even Facebook parent support groups as she learned to create space for family while excelling at her job.

Stephen C. Dinkel served as the associate producer on this episode of Young Lawyer Rising.

Resources:

Legal Careers of Parents and Child Caregivers: Results and Best Practices from a National Study of the Legal Profession

 Parenthood Positivity: How to Use Parenthood in the Trajectory of Your Legal Career

Parental Leave in the Legal Field: Managing Employee and Employer Expectations

Attorneys Make the Case for Equal Parental Leave

Balancing Fatherhood and a Legal Career as a Young Lawyer

Juggling a Firm and a Family

Tips for Balancing a Legal Career and First-Time Motherhood

American Bar Association

American Bar Association Young Lawyers Division