BCLP enhances parental leave firmwide to improve support for working families

Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner (BCLP) has announced significant changes to its parental leave policies across the firm. The enhancements will take effect on July 1, 2023.

The new policies for lawyers and business services are as follows:

• In the U.S., leave is now the same for both lawyers and business services staff, with a harmonized provision of 20 weeks at 100% pay for both primary and secondary carers.
• In the U.K., leave has increased to 26 weeks at 100% pay and 13 weeks of SMP for primary carers and 13 weeks at 100% pay for secondary carers. Shared parental leave has increased to 26 weeks at full pay and 13 weeks of statutory pay.
• The firm will also provide a global standard of enhanced leave across its international offices.

BCLP will now also provide neonatal leave of up to four weeks at full pay, which applies to parents of babies born prematurely or full term but sick and admitted to hospital.

The improvements build on the existing suite of people-first global policies, including pregnancy loss and compassionate/bereavement leave, which the firm implemented in January. A coaching program for new parents, an existing provision in the UK, will be rolled out firmwide.

Firm co-chairs Lisa Mayhew and Steve Baumer said, “We are keenly aware of how important these policies are in enabling our colleagues to balance career ambitions with nurturing their home lives. The wellbeing of all its people is a priority for the firm, and these changes are key components in supporting BCLP workers and their families.”

Hannah Kozlova Lindsay, chief people officer, said, “BCLP values the wellness of our people and wants them to take care of themselves and their loved ones in ways that best address their needs. With our enhanced parental leave policies, our aim is to support parents — both primary and secondary carers — in taking an active role in raising their families so they can return to work feeling empowered.”