Navigating maternity leave in the legal world

Navigating maternity leave as a corporate lawyer is a daunting challenge, especially when balancing the demands of a high-stakes legal career with the responsibilities of motherhood.

However, with careful planning and the right support, you can take your maternity leave and return to work without compromising your career progress.

Here’s how I work with female corporate lawyers to help them achieve this delicate balance.

First thing first, familiarise yourself with any relevant legal entitlements in your country.

Maternity leave for lawyers in Italy

In Italy, while most employees are covered by the National Institute for Social Security (INPS), lawyers are under the Cassa Nazionale di Previdenza e Assistenza Forense (CNPAF).

Recent legislative changes have extended maternity benefits to self-employed professionals.

• Legislative Decree No. 105/2022 has extended the possibility for self-employed professionals to receive maternity benefits even for periods prior to the two months before childbirth.
• Law No. 379/1990 first recognised the right to maternity benefits for those registered with a social security and assistance fund for self-employed professionals, for a period of five months.
• Legislative Decree No. 151/2001 (Consolidated Law on Maternity) then incorporated, among other things, the aforementioned law.

(* I mentioned only some legal entitlements due to space constraints).

Planning Your Maternity Leave

1. Communicate Early and Effectively

Begin by discussing your maternity leave plans with your employer as early as possible.

Unfortunately, there are situations where this is not possible due to health reasons affecting either the expectant mother or the baby.

Let’s not forget that it is not really possible to physiologically plan a pregnancy and it can happen just when pitching for the next three private equity fund deals that will conclude with a desired IPO has gone well!

Clearly communicate your expected leave dates, and work with your team to create a plan that ensures your responsibilities are covered.

Usually, I work with future lawyer mothers to prepare them for these conversations with a draft of a transition plan, ensuring they articulate their needs confidently and clearly.

2. Preparing a transition plan

As I mentioned before, I help future mothers developing a detailed transition plan outlining for example their ongoing projects and critical tasks minimizing disruptions during their absence.

3. Understanding rights and benefits

Familiarise yourself with your firm’s maternity leave policy, as well as any relevant legal entitlements in your country.

Understanding your rights and benefits will help you plan your leave more effectively and advocate for yourself if needed to make the most of your entitlements.

Taking your maternity leave

1. Stay connected (but set boundaries)

While on leave, decide how much you want to stay connected with your workplace.

Regular updates might help ease your transition back, but it’s also crucial to set boundaries to fully enjoy your maternity leave.

You should strike the right balance between staying informed and taking a genuine break.

2. Delegate and trust your team

Trust your colleagues to handle your workload in your absence.

It can be tough, indeed.

Delegating effectively and having faith in your team’s abilities will reduce your stress and allow you to focus on your new role as a mother.

It’s quite different from operational or responsibility delegation, with an emphasis on colleague interaction.

The level of trust extends beyond the professional context and moves into personal realms.

That’s why circumstances can change rapidly, making it crucial to address the factors that may dominate during such a delicate time for you.

Returning from maternity leave

1. Plan Your Return Strategically

Work with your employer to plan a phased return if possible, gradually increasing your hours to ease the transition.

Discuss flexible working arrangements that might help you balance your professional and personal responsibilities.

I know the feeling of struggling to negotiate these changes and arrangements because you’ve been at home, almost feeling inadequate for having done so. But you need it to develop a realistic return plan.

2. Reestablish professional relationships

Upon your return, take time to reconnect with colleagues and clients.

Update yourself on any changes or developments that occurred during your leave.

Catching up on lost ground is the main issue, I’ve experienced it.

3. Set realistic expectations

Adjusting back to work after maternity leave is challenging.

After all, you’re a lawyer, and it’s normal for you to have high expectations of yourself: you’ve passed tough exams, including the state bar exam.

Set realistic expectations for yourself and allow time to readjust.

Recognise that there will be a period of transition as you balance your new responsibilities.

You’re a newbie needing to develop coping strategies for the inevitable challenges.

How I help

1. Personalized support and guidance

The starting point is to build a safe space where you feel free to share what worries you (and it’s perfectly normal!).

Your situation and the way you will experience maternity are unique, so there’s no point in approaching it the way your colleagues did before you.

Whether you need help planning your leave, managing stress, or negotiating flexible work arrangements, we work together to find the best approach.

2. Building confidence and resilience

Returning to work after maternity leave impact your confidence.

I don’t want to ruffle feathers, but it will.

You’ll need to rebuild your self-assurance, reinforce your professional identity, and develop resilience to handle the dual demands of career and motherhood.

3. Career progression strategies

Again, there is no “one size fits all” to ensure that your career progression is not hindered by your maternity leave.

You’ll need to work on setting career goals, identifying opportunities for growth, and developing strategies to showcase your value within the firm.

Again?

Yes, again.

Honest or consolatory?

I always prefer the first one: navigating maternity leave in the legal world requires careful planning and support.

By preparing effectively, staying connected, and returning strategically, you can take your leave without compromising your career progress.

A personalised guidance and support to manage this transition successfully, and helping you thrive as both a corporate lawyer and a mother: isn’t it a common goal we can work towards?