Taft Stettinius & Hollister LLP announces a new industry leading parental leave policy for its attorneys. Effective immediately, the firm is providing all Taft attorneys with 16 weeks of paid parental leave for birth or adoptive parents. 

The policy applies regardless of gender, marital status or primary versus non-primary caregiver status. The only requirement under the policy is that a Taft attorney be one of the parents of a newborn or newly adopted child. Paid parental leave is available to Taft attorneys from the first day of employment at Taft. 

The new policy is a significant increase from the firm’s previous attorney package, which offered 12 weeks of paid leave to a Taft attorney who is the child’s primary caregiver and two weeks of paid leave to a Taft attorney who is not the child’s primary caregiver. 

“We significantly enhanced our parental leave policy in our continuing effort to be the employer of choice in each of our markets and to support our attorneys with this commitment to family,” said Taft’s Chairman and Managing Partner Robert J. Hicks. “This is one of several initiatives we are undertaking to ensure a good work/life balance for our attorneys and to promote a modern, flexible and inclusive workplace.” 

For attorneys, the firm’s new parental paid leave policy is among the most expansive packages offered among law firms. Per the Association of Legal Administrators (ALA) 2016 Compensation Survey, private law firms in the U.S. offer on average eight weeks of parental leave for primary caregivers and four weeks for non-primary caregivers. Comparatively, firms in the Midwest offer on average eight weeks of parental leave for primary caregivers and six weeks for non-primary caregivers.

“There is tremendous momentum underway at Taft to ensure a modern workplace culture that is truly inclusive, flexible and supportive of a strong work/life balance,” said Sonya S. Jindal, a Taft partner and co-chair (along with Taft Partner Tracy Betz) of the firm’s recently launched Gender Advancement Committee. “This very generous family-friendly policy, together with other initiatives including our inaugural firm-wide Women’s Symposium later this month, reflects the firm’s significant commitments to retaining, developing and advancing talent among our attorneys.”