X
    Categories: Biglaw

Vacation and Leave Policies of the Top Law Firms

Summary: LawCrossing has compiled a list of the top law firms and their policies on vacation, maternity leave, paternity leave, and vacation days.

LawCrossing has created a chart that lays out the vacation and leave policies for some of the top law firms. If you’re in the process of applying for jobs, such policies should be a consideration as you weigh your choices.

Some firms, such as Finnegan and Fish & Richardson, allow for unlimited vacation days. Others offer multiple weeks. McGuireWoods allows 3 weeks, and WilmerHale provides 4 weeks.

Although many jobs do not offer paid maternity leave, most firms offered around 12 weeks of paid maternity leave. Some require that the attorney requesting leave be the primary caregiver. Debevoise allows 18 weeks of maternity leave in addition to two weeks of pre-birth leave. Cravath offers an impressive 20 weeks of leave if the primary caregiver, and 12 weeks if the adoptive primary caregiver.

The idea of paternity leave may be unpopular in some regions, but many law firms provide paid paternity leave as well. Clifford Chance allows 8 weeks of paternity leave if the primary caregiver, and 4 weeks if the secondary caregiver. Epstein Becker & Green will provide 1-2 weeks of paternity leave if the attorney has worked at the firm for at least a year.

Some law firms even offer a portion of adoption fees. Foley & Lardner and Hunton & Williams provide $5,000. Hogan Lovells provides $5,000 as well, with a lifetime maximum of $10,000. Nixon Peabody gives up to $7,500.

As for same-sex couples receiving the same benefits as heterosexual couples, most firms do provide the same benefits. Orrick and Ropes & Gray offer such benefits even in states that do not recognize same-sex marriages.

To see the full chart, head over to LawCrossing to see what other firms provide for their attorneys.

Image credit: Traveldiscounters.ca

Noelle Price: