COVID-19: A rollercoaster ride
“Psychologically, the pandemic has been a complete rollercoaster, and we are all exhausted. Everyone has had their life disrupted in some way,” says Vera Suarez, partner at Haynes and Boone in Dallas, Texas, as she reflects on the upheaval triggered by COVID-19.
The worldwide health crisis forced the business world, including the IP sector, to swiftly adapt to new ways of working as staff grappled with unprecedented challenges.
According to lawyers, this quickfire revolution in their professional lives delivered both benefits and drawbacks, while leaving a question mark over the long-term impact on diversity and inclusion (D&I) initiatives.
A dark legacy
According to research, the pandemic could have ominous consequences.
The findings of the sixth annual “Women in the Workplace” report, published by McKinsey and LeanIn.org in September 2021, revealed that more than one in four women in corporate America are considering downgrading their careers or leaving the workforce as they struggle to balance childcare and work commitments during the ongoing pandemic.
This trend is also blighting the legal sector, according to a study by the American Bar Association, “Practicing Law in the Pandemic and Moving Forward: Results and Best Practices from a Nationwide Survey of the Legal Profession”, published in April 2021.
The survey showed that among the female attorneys surveyed, more than half with children aged five or younger and 41% with children aged six to 13 are contemplating a change in their working hours.
These findings come as a little surprise to Suarez. “There is no doubt that primary caretakers—who are most often working mothers—were in the very demanding situation of finding time to work while also trying to provide childcare and/or managing home-schooling,” she says.
“It has been very difficult, especially for those of us with partners who are essential or frontline workers whose work needed to be prioritised. I believe how firms reacted to this widespread issue may become a differentiator when it comes to recruitment in the future.
Female attorneys with children aged five or younger who are considering a change to their working hours
