Hi moms! Curious… did anyone voluntarily work during their maternity leave bc you didn’t want to miss out on key projects or bc the team really needed help? Or at least signed on to check emails or checked in with your manager to keep updated?

Absolutely not! Your firm will find coverage. Maternity leave goes by fast. You’ll never get that time again nor will you have the energy to work and care for a newborn.

No, I was told this would suck me in again. Also, STD does not let you get paid if you work. Since my leave is part STD and part bonding leave, I don’t want to risk it. I do check emails in case clients or opposing counsel email me one-off, and I forward the emails I receive.

No. I’m a mother who practices law to provide for her children. I’m not an attorney who happens to be a mother. I am one with every fiber of my being and the other is just a job I’m great at. Let them find coverage.

I check emails a few times a week and have forwarded things here or there or provided some added context to partners on various matters. Less than two cumulative hours a month probably. I’ve also had check ins with various partners for my annual review and career development at my firm. Definitely not “working” but I feel like I’m not totally out of the loop.

I did because I was losing my mind with understimulation and just wanted to feel like myself again.

No. If they fired you they would manage just fine without you.
You know who can’t fire you? Your newborn.

Nope. I would sometimes get on my work phone during baby naps to delete unnecessary emails but that’s all. Never responded to anything and only checked in with my team to send baby pics (I’m in house with an all female team though).

I checked my emails and made sure that nothing fell through the cracks. My firm allows parental leave to be split into two blocks so that you can come back if there is a key project that you don't want to miss out on. I didn't have anything, but if you have something like an appellate court argument, you could come back for that and then go back on leave.

LOL no

Absolutely not.

You will be way too exhausted and baby will be way too needy to do any of that. Enjoy your leave; work will always be there but your child will never be a newborn again.

Yes unfortunately. I think this is very firm dependent and role dependent. I’m a new partner, we are understaffed and it sucks

No

No.

Yes.