Work/Life Balance
‘Daddy Track’ is a Major Concern for Male Law Grads, Study Says
Posted Jun 13, 2008, 06:00 pm CDT
By Martha Neil
It isn't just women graduating from law school and young female attorneys who worry about whether they can successfully balance the demands of the legal profession with children and a happy family life.
According to a recent study of those at New York University School of Law, their male counterparts are just as concerned about the issue, reports the National Law Journal in an article reprinted in New York Lawyer (reg. req.).
"The results indicate that worries about balancing work and family weigh far more heavily on the minds of top law students than do other career concerns, including compensation and job prestige," the article states. "We expected women to be worried, because work/life balance has often been framed as a women's issue, but we found men to be equally concerned."
Young lawyers of both genders are willing to take a pay cut to achieve work/life balance.
Additional coverage:
New York Times (1988): "The Editorial Notebook; So Where's the Daddy Track?"
Boston Globe (2007): "The Daddy Track"
Journal of Law & Policy (PDF) (2004): "The Daddy Track: Locating the Male Employee Within the Family and Medical Leave Act"
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Comments
Posted by ARB - 2 months, 3 weeks, 2 days, 13 hours, 11 minutes ago
Guys from NYU have always been wusses.
Posted by Tim - 2 months, 3 weeks, 1 day, 6 hours, 38 minutes ago
I am a recent grad from a lower-tier school with a 4-month old baby at home. Being worried about a “daddy track” would feel like a luxury. Honestly, I would work 7 days a week, 14 hours a day if I knew I could pay my rent and provide health insurance for my wife and son.
Posted by lawgeek - 2 months, 3 weeks, 17 hours, 29 minutes ago
Is this a real and actual issue, or is it one exclusively in the minds of young men who want to be part of the culture of victimization (which is always a handy excuse for not progressing as fast as one would like)? I graduated from a top-ten law school six years ago, and none of the guys I went to school with ever mentioned that concern.
Posted by associate - 2 months, 3 weeks, 15 hours, 37 minutes ago
Lawgeek, that’s because the required hours have been ramped up again in the last several years. The tails of lives slipping away are making it back to our younger peers now, and they’re conscious of the pending problems.
There’s a balance to be struck as with all things. What good is “reaching your potential” as a lawyer if your wife and kid aren’t around to share in it? I’d rather make an investment in the future of my country and my family and “reach my potential” as a father.
Posted by StudyingforJulyBar - 2 months, 3 weeks, 9 hours, 55 minutes ago
I am studying for the Bar Exam, with a 1yo son and a daughter due in 3 weeks. I am a joint degree JD/MBA, and I feel that I cannot accept a traditional assiciate job because it would require too much time away from family. I am applying for in-house counsel or business positions, because they would allow more time at home.
Posted by Brett - 2 months, 2 weeks, 6 days, 18 hours, 19 minutes ago
For better of for worse, this is not a career for people so attuned to the life and work balance. I am not sure what college graduates think they are getting themselves into when they go to law school. If you want a 9-5 gig with great benefits, become a teacher. Otherwise, in this business firms need the hours to generate revenue. It is a pretty simple business formula.
Posted by L Kay Wilson - 2 months, 2 weeks, 6 days, 17 hours, 35 minutes ago
Wow! Finally the work-life balance issue will get some traction - now that it affects men. I say, GREAT. However, this should not be framed in terms of parenthood only. We need not create a superclass of parents who get special consideration. Let’s create an inclusive class of people who want to opt out of the oppressive legal business model by allowing for flextime and part time track. Not everyone wants to parent. I, for one, wanted a part time schedule in order to work on volunteerism for disadvantaged communities at the same time that a female peer was asking for part time to mommy track. Guess whose part time schedule was allowed? Hers, not mine. Someone parenting is considered a more persuasive argument for flex time than my desires to contribute to society writ large. This is wrong. As long as we continue to hierarch work life balance issus as legitimate for parenting, but not for other life goals, we are creating a superclass of extra benefits for parents only. The whole legal business model needs to be re-thought along the lines of human rights to explore self outside of work.
Posted by associate - 2 months, 2 weeks, 6 days, 13 hours, 15 minutes ago
Kay,
While I agree with your overall conclusion, I would just like to point out that proper parenting is the biggest societal contribution that anyone can make.
Further, your efforts to help the disadvantaged are noble, but would you be doing that if you hadn’t learned those behaviors from your parents (i.e., the people who raised you if not mom and dad) at a young age?
Posted by msg - 2 months, 2 weeks, 6 days, 12 hours, 31 minutes ago
Grow up. If you want a work-life balance - consider another career. This is the business of large-law firm life. If you can’t take the heat - get out of the kitchen. Go work for a small firm and take less money. Go to a less expensive law school. Ah, here’s an idea - work your way through law school and go at night. Stop your wining.