{"id":3999,"date":"2005-08-06T12:09:34","date_gmt":"2005-08-06T16:09:34","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blogs.law.harvard.edu\/formerlyknownas\/2005\/08\/06\/why-dont-lawyers-take-sabbati"},"modified":"2011-08-05T14:57:31","modified_gmt":"2011-08-05T18:57:31","slug":"why-dont-lawyers-take-sabbaticals-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/archive.blogs.harvard.edu\/ethicalesq\/2005\/08\/06\/why-dont-lawyers-take-sabbaticals-2\/","title":{"rendered":"why don’t lawyers take sabbaticals?"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Most lawyers aren’t offered the chance at taking a <\/FONT>sabbatical<\/FONT><\/A> <\/FONT>leave.  But, those lucky <\/FONT><\/FONT><\/DIV>
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ones who are given the opportunity — usually partners at BigLaw firms —  <\/FONT>rarely <\/FONT>accept <\/FONT><\/FONT><\/DIV>
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the offer.  Why not?<\/FONT><\/DIV>
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<\/FONT> <\/DIV>
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In this month’s Washington Lawyer<\/EM> cover story, “<\/FONT>Time Out, Time Off: Lawyers on Sabbatical<\/FONT><\/A>,” <\/FONT><\/DIV>
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(Aug. 2005) Joan Indiana Rigdon raises some of the issues, while assessing the benefits of <\/FONT><\/DIV>
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extended leave for lawyers, and giving examples from lives of various D.C. lawyers.   The <\/FONT><\/DIV>
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article concludes:<\/FONT><\/DIV>
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\"exit\" “All the lawyers interviewed for this article say their sabbaticals recharged <\/FONT><\/DIV>
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them. <\/FONT>But most lawyers never seriously consider sabbaticals because they seem risky <\/FONT><\/DIV>
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and daunting.  For the fearful, [Wilmer Cutler partner, John] Payton has this advice: <\/FONT><\/DIV>
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‘I don’t know anyone who’s <\/FONT>taken a sabbatical, or who’s taken a break like I did <\/FONT><\/DIV>
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and done something quite different, who has any regrets at all. Not a single person. <\/FONT><\/DIV>
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It’s always a hassle to work it out, the arrangements and all. But I don’t know a single <\/FONT><\/DIV>
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person who has any regrets once they do.'”<\/FONT><\/DIV><\/BLOCKQUOTE><\/FONT>
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The firms mentioned in the article have many approaches to sabbaticals.  Some offer them <\/FONT><\/DIV>
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to partners every six or seven years at full pay, some at half pay.  Some require the leave <\/FONT><\/DIV>
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be used to do pro bono<\/EM> work or teach; some have no strings attached.  The periods can be <\/FONT><\/DIV>
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as short as one to three months, or as long as a year.<\/FONT><\/DIV>
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Why don’t lawyers take sabbaticals when they’re available?  Maybe because:<\/FONT><\/DIV>
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– they think they’re indispensible<\/FONT><\/DIV>
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– they think leaving will show they’re not indispensable<\/FONT><\/DIV>
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– they can’t imagine a few months or a year without working<\/FONT><\/DIV>
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– they’re afraid they’ll like not working too much<\/FONT><\/DIV>
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– they don’t want the stigma of appearing to need a break<\/FONT><\/DIV>
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– they don’t want time to reflect on a career change and life priorities<\/FONT><\/DIV>
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(quite a few sabbaticans never return to their old jobs)<\/FONT><\/DIV>
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– they’re too disorganized to prepare for a prolonged leave<\/FONT><\/DIV>
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– they’re afraid personal clients will be “insitutionalized” to the firm<\/FONT><\/DIV>
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– they think sabbaticals are just recruiting tools and not actually <\/FONT><\/DIV>
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encouraged by the firm<\/FONT><\/DIV>
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– they can’t take or don’t want the reduction in income<\/FONT><\/DIV>
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– they can’t coordinate a leave with their spouse or children<\/FONT><\/DIV>
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<\/FONT> <\/DIV>
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etc. etc.<\/EM><\/FONT><\/DIV><\/FONT><\/BLOCKQUOTE>
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Would you take a sabbatical, if offered?  What would you do with your time away?<\/FONT><\/DIV>
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Do you think you’ll return to your current job?  Being retired, I don’t have to answer.<\/FONT><\/DIV>
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it’s all yours
butterfly, take a rest
on the mushroom<\/FONT><\/DIV>
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<\/FONT> <\/DIV>
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ISSA<\/FONT><\/A><\/DIV>
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 <\/DIV><\/BLOCKQUOTE><\/BLOCKQUOTE><\/BLOCKQUOTE><\/BLOCKQUOTE><\/BLOCKQUOTE><\/BLOCKQUOTE><\/BLOCKQUOTE><\/BLOCKQUOTE><\/BLOCKQUOTE>
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