written by Anne Redcross Heehler and Dana M. Heyde
In the August 2023 volume 65 No 8 of OC Lawyer, attorney and partner, Dana M. Heyde co-authored the article “The Myth of Doing It All”.
Here’s an excerpt:
As the Co-Chair of the Mommy, Esq Committee, a few times a month someone asks Dana Heyde “How do you achieve balance with work and your family?”. This is a question no one has ever asked her attorney husband. Somehow a standard has been set that women must be a rockstar mom and a rockstar attorney at the same time – while wearing heels and smiling. The personal stories shared by members at two recent Mommy, Esq. events demonstrated the balance can only be achieved when women are supported both at home and at work.
The only way Big Law can retain and promote women and parents is to have a culture where a firm and all of its partners take concrete steps every day to foster inclusion.
The Myth Of Doing It All Next Steps
The article recommends 5 simple steps to help foster inclusion:
- Make sure you are staffing your matters with women and mothers.
- Have a mindset of growth, not scarcity.
- Be flexible and kind to your teams (and opposing counsel for that matter!)
- Get to know your colleagues and be genuinely interested.
- remind the mothers you work with that there is no such as “doing it all” or a perfect balance.
Click here to read the full article