Biglaw firms, known for their demanding workload and unpredictable hours, have a notorious reputation for causing burnout and high associate turnover, resulting in a competitive, lateral job market. In response to this, Slaughter and May, a major law firm, have established an interesting initiative to counterbalance the often intense lifestyle of their attorneys.
As discussed in a recent article by Legal Cheek, Slaughter and May have been trialing a program since 2021 which provides their attorneys with a choice of working reduced hours for reduced compensation. The option is dubbed ‘Switch On/Off’ and allows eligible associates to reduce to either a 0.9 or 0.8 full-time equivalent, with pay and holiday entitlement pro-rated accordingly. This arrangement will have attorneys working five days a week, but with non-working days taken in up to two pre-agreed blocks over a 12-month period.
After successful implementation of the pilot program, the firm has decided to make this option a permanent one. According to Slaughter and May’s chief people officer, Jonathan Clarke, the Job Design Scheme, as it is known, offers associates the opportunity to deliver value for clients, develop their careers, and maintain a better work-life balance.
This innovative measure by a major law firm signifies a refreshing shift away from the usual ‘bill, bill, bill’ mindset and demonstrates an effort to retain talented legal professionals.