How to: work part-time

There are no statistics available on the number of solicitors who work on a part-time or other flexible-working basis. But as Julia Waltham, head of policy and public affairs at charity Working Families, observes: ‘There have been positive changes in recent years and we have seen more and more law firms making a concerted effort to implement flexible and family-friendly working policies and practice.’

As the UK’s work-life balance organisation, Working Families counts many law firms among its members. Pinsent Masons was among the top 10 employers in its 2018 benchmark report, together with the Crown Prosecution Service. Allen & Overy, Hogan Lovells and Simmons & Simmons were in the top 30. 

‘On a firm-by-firm basis,’ Waltham says, ‘there is a huge appetite to do better, particularly given the fact that Millennials generally place huge importance on work-life balance and flexibility.’ And although there is a legal framework providing a ‘right to request’ flexible working, what many firms are in fact responding to is the need to recruit and retain professionals who want to work different or fewer hours.

Michael Bailey, manager and legal recruitment specialist at Sellick Partnership, says that when he joined the company five years ago recruiting for part-timers was ‘rare’. Professionals who worked part-time typically negotiated this when already established in a role. That is changing for several reasons, Bailey believes. Why so? First, ‘there is a candidate shortage so employers are having to be more flexible to get the right candidate’, he says. Second, ‘employers are starting to realise that candidates want more of a work-life balance’. Third, ‘technology means employees now do more out-of-hours, breaking down the barrier that they will only work the set, part-time hours and that someone else will have to pick up their work’. And fourth, ‘consultant firms are popping up everywhere now, which give the candidate absolute autonomy to work how they see fit’.

On a firm-by-firm basis there is a huge appetite to do better, particularly given the fact that Millennials generally place huge importance on work-life balance and flexibility

Julia Waltham, Working Families

Bailey, who only recruits to private practice, says it is mainly the medium to larger firms that are ‘a little more flexible’ because they have the resources, including the technology, to support part-time working. And some areas of law are better suited to it – 60% to 70% of the roles in private client work are part-time, he estimates. 

Benjamin Brooks, a consultant at Hays, covers legal recruitment in the Thames Valley area across in-house, private practice and the public sector. ‘With regard to being contracted to work only three or four days a week, I have found that it is mainly within private practice and smaller law firms, though, on occasion public sector as well. Across the in-house market these are less common, but are more typical when candidates are more senior than the job requires, allowing them to do it more efficiently in less time.’

A common alternative to part-time is remote-working with less rigid working hours, points out Brooks. ‘This approach is a great [compromise] between not having to be in the office, satisfying the needs of the employee, and still being able to complete the required work, satisfying the needs of the employer.’ 

That is because the legal profession is ‘quite reactive to the needs of clients’, he argues. ‘If you have an emergency and you aren’t accessible, then it will come down to you as the solicitor, even if other team members can cover the work to some degree.’

So to what extent is working part-time – or just flexible hours – a career-limiting move in today’s profession? 

‘Employers with that mindset are the ones that are struggling to recruit and retain staff,’ Bailey says.

Indeed, Simmons & Simmons says flexible working has had a positive impact on both attracting and keeping talented lawyers who want the freedom to define a working arrangement that supports their lifestyle. 

Laura Farnsworth, a partner in Lewis Silkin’s employment team, says: ‘There are many advantages for both employees and employers. Employees who are able to find a better balance between work and other commitments are more likely to be loyal, committed to the business and less stressed. This leads to a more stable workforce, which improves client service, and reduces the cost of recruiting and training new staff.’ 

Technology means employees now do more out of hours, breaking down the barrier that they will only work the set, part-time hours and that someone else will have to pick up their work

Michael Bailey, Sellick Partnership

But both employees and employers ‘need to think outside the box’, Bailey says. He cites the recent example of a candidate who wanted to be able to drop off and pick up her children from school, but not to reduce her hours (for example, by working a shorter day in the office, and then picking up some work from home). ‘She was being forced to consider part-time roles as employers don’t work like this,’ Bailey says. ‘But I managed to secure her a home-based role which now enables her to do that. She is considered part-time, but she works as many hours as a full-time employee – and she is paid hourly so does not lose out.’ 

Top tips 

For anyone considering more flexible working arrangements, what practical steps should they take? 

‘The easiest way to secure a part-time role is to negotiate with your current employer as they are still a rarity,’ Bailey says. 

If the employer is concerned about how the arrangement will work, it is a good idea to suggest a trial period and, if it does not work, to suggest alternatives, Farnsworth says. It is also important to think carefully about the impact the proposed working arrangement will have on the business and suggest ways of dealing with any potential negative effect. ‘This will make it easier for your employer to see how the arrangement can work in practice and therefore more likely to agree to it,’ she adds. 

Would-be part-timers should not expect to get the job or salary they would like immediately, Brooks warns: ‘You will have to prepare a strong case as to why and how you are going to be able to work to the same ability, but over less time. And you will have to accept it will take longer for the right job to come up.’

There are different ways of working flexibly, and part-time is only one of them. ‘The locum route is a good compromise,’ Bailey says. ‘Many of my locums work a couple of weeks, then take a couple of weeks off. Some only work throughout the busy summer months and then have the winter off. Some even go abroad for the winter.’ 

If you are opting for part-time, job-sharing is a way to ensure continuous client cover. Farnsworth says: ‘It can be difficult for lawyers to genuinely work part-time because work often needs to be done on their non-working day. This can be stressful, particularly if you spend your non-working day with young children.’ 

It also helps to be flexible with your flexible working, Harris says. It means answering the odd email or taking a call on a non-working day, just as full-time lawyers do at weekends. 

‘Communication is key to making [flexible working] a success,’ Harris says. It means being clear with your employer about what you want in terms of work-life balance, and then communicating your flexible working arrangements to your team and your clients.

Last, it is important to remember that nothing ventured is nothing gained. ‘Don’t be afraid to ask for what you want,’ says Simmons & Simmons partner Jo Crookshank. The firm will either agree to it or find a compromise ‘because they want to make it work, so be brave’, she says. 

Marialuisa Taddia is a freelance journalist