Monica Burch, managing partner at Addleshaw Goddard
Context and background
Monica Burch is the Senior Partner at Addleshaw Goddard and chairs the firm's Governance Board. Qualifying in 1990, Monica worked for a US law firm in New York before returning to work as an associate at Theodore Goddard in 1999.
Monica did not start working flexibly until the birth of her third child in 2003. The decision to work part time coincided with the arrival of her third child when she was already an equity partner.
Practicalities and challenges of working flexibly
'It was clear to me that the pattern of my practice required a five day week, and I really thought about the workflow of a litigator. Although I need to work a five day week and be available, I could manage my workflow to take a 10 per cent reduction in working time over each year.' The result is that Monica is able to take more time off to coincide with school holidays when courts are also closed. This effectively facilitates ten weeks holiday including half terms and August and provides important time with her family.
When Monica first suggested this solution she received a very positive response, on presenting the idea to the divisional managing partner, 'he didn't even suggest doing a trial period but agreed straight away.' Subsequently other partners have adopted this pattern of working, and there are also other equity partners working four day weeks. 'Working this way as senior partner, I can be fully involved in all the things I need to be involved in - throw myself into the role but have time with my family.'
Monica acknowledges that 'working flexibly is easier to do as a partner - while you have clients to answer to, you don't have a partner to answer to. Being in command of your diary is important.'
'Inevitably, as with any form of flexible working, there are plusses and minuses. In most commercial law firms which are client facing, you cannot partition off your time, you have to accept the high level of interruption. Being available and on call at weekends and holidays occurs at partner level for full time workers and similarly in non working time for those who carve out extra time.'
Monica works closely with others who work flexibly and recognised early on that the key to success lies in understanding what patterns of flexibility suits work flow and clients. This can vary according to practice area. Monica identified the key advantages of her flexible working pattern as:
- makes her time off coincide with business workflow
- taking time off when clients and courts do, especially summer
- fulfils her senior partner role over a full week
- is fully available to clients
Interruptions, especially during holidays, are viewed as an anticipated element of being a senior partner - in particular being available to deal with internal issues.
Having reaching the top of her profession within a top 20 practice, Monica is fully supportive of different working patterns, 'I do think flexible working is possible.'
Shifting attitudes: flexible working is a business issue
The evidence of flexible work patterns becoming fully accepted at Addleshaw Goddard is the fact that Monica was elected to senior partner while working flexibly. 'Addleshaw Goddard accept the importance of retaining people - women (and younger men too) so flexible working is no longer outside the norm.'
Monica acknowledged that flexible working still had the potential to be more career-limiting for men, 'We have male partners who work flexibly and I really don't think that working flexibly should be based on having children.' Monica Burch was clear that working flexibly was not purely for those with caring responsibilities. 'It is important to ensure that we retain our key talent, female and male.'
Key learning points
'The main thing is to ensure your working practices coincide with your work flow and with client's expectations.'
Monica is enthusiastic about her successful legal career and has done highly interesting work to date. Her advice to young lawyers is 'go for a legal career but understand that it is hard work.' She further advises, 'If you are thinking about work/life balance, it is important to build this into your long term career aspirations.'
Each year, Addleshaw Goddard make up partners who are promoted while on a flexible working arrangement.
Conclusions
'The key is to think about your business in client terms and consider the work flow.' It is this perspective that enables Addleshaw Goddard to embrace flexible working and in doing so, nurture and retain their key talent.
'Going forward, I believe that flexible working is becoming more embedded within the DNA of law firms. With a huge demographic surge and 67 per cent women trainees coming through, who will be thinking ahead about families, the profession will need to build in more space and ability to flex. Without it we will lose a lot of talented people.'