The Project for Attorney Retention

Welcome to the Project for Attorney Retention (PAR), an initiative of The Center for WorkLife Law of the University of California Hastings College of the Law, funded by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation and other grantors. PAR works to stem unwanted attrition among lawyers -- a benefit for both legal employers and the lawyers themselves -- by promoting work/life balance and the advancement of women in the legal profession.

Positioning Law Firms for Long-Term Success:
New Strategies for Advancing Women Lawyers

May 15, 2008 Washington, D.C.

What are Balanced Hours?

"Balanced hours" programs, unlike traditional part-time programs, allow attorneys to work individually-tailored, reduced schedules that are designed to meet the firm's business needs while maintaining the attorney's ability to work and to develop professionally without stigma. Balanced hours programs involve active management of workloads in proportion to reduced hours, emphasize client service, and promote the values of the firm.

Business Case for Balanced Hours

Read here why balanced hours benefit firms' bottom lines

Book Now Available!

Solving the Part-Time Puzzle: The Law Firm's Guide to Balanced Hours

By Joan C. Williams and Cynthia Thomas Calvert , NALP 2004

Solving the Part-Time Puzzle provides a clear roadmap for law firms that want to create and implement an effective, non-stigmatized part-time policy.

Available from NALP and amazon.com

PAR Names Work/Life Role Models to Advisory Council

Read more here

The Scoop

Information about work/life and part-time in Law Firms: Which firms are best? Which are worst?

Best Practices

PAR is building a set of best practices for law firms that want to have good balanced hour programs that are effective retention and recruitment tools.

Current Best Practice :
Move Toward Mass Career Customization

For more information, click here.

Hastings Leadership Academy for Women

A leadership development program for women law firm partners.

May 29-31 and
July 17-19, 2008

Opting Back In

A telephone coaching group for attorneys who left law for a year or more to care for their families.

Continuing program. Call 415-565-4640 for possible openings.

PAR Consultants

Need some help with balanced hours at your firm? PAR has consultants who are available to work with you.

Click here for more information

Corporate Counsel Project

Final Report: Better on Balance?

Law Firm Project

Final Report: Balanced Hours: Effective Part-Time Programs for Washington Law Firms

Interim Report

PAR Usability Test

Is your firm's part-time program an effective retention tool? Take this test!

PAR's new report: Law Firms' New Partners Still Mostly Male

PAR's Weblog

Check out the latest work/life news for lawyers at PAR's weblog, "Up to PAR."

PAR Members

Sustaining Members

Arnold & Porter*

Bryan Cave

Carroll, Burdick & McDonough

Coblentz, Patch, Duffy & Bass*

Fenwick & West*

Fulbright & Jaworski*

Howrey*

Powell Goldstein*

Shook, Hardy & Bacon*

Sonnenschein Nath & Rosenthal*

Wal-Mart

Womble Carlyle Sandridge & Rice*

Supporting Members

Andrews Kurth*

Arent Fox*

Crowell & Moring*

Del Monte

Dickstein Shapiro*

Farella Braun + Martel*

Foley & Lardner

Hogan & Hartson*

Jackson Lewis*

Latham & Watkins

Lowenstein Sandler

Mayer Brown*

McCarter & English*

McCarthy Tétrault

Miller Law Group*

Morrison & Foerster

Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe*

Outten & Golden*

Schiff Hardin*

Sidley Austin*

WilmerHale

*= Founding Member

Support PAR's work

Law Firms and Law Departments:

Join PAR

click here for more information