Proskauer’s New Parent Career Coaching Program (NPCC) assists our women lawyers and staff in navigating the transition from working full time to maternity leave, and then returning to work. We initiated the program in early 2014 to meet a need expressed by associates who told us that coming back to work from an extended leave — particularly after childbirth — can be very difficult.

This issue is especially critical because our professionals going on maternity leave are highly talented and we want to encourage their return to the workforce. We engaged workforce strategies consultancy Life Meets Work to design a program customized for our specific circumstances.

Participating personnel benefit from working with experienced career coaches who help them manage the challenges of being both a new parent and a working professional. One participant shared, “I found the content – and the personalized nature of that content – to be extremely useful.” Our Diversity & Inclusion team personally reaches out to participants when they go on or return from maternity leave, and connects them with their coaches.

The feedback we have received from NPCC participants has been very positive. They are particularly pleased with the career coaches’ broad understanding of law firm life. The coaching helps participants effectively manage expectations, discern which pressures are real versus internalized and engage in very candid dialogue about what is most important to  them.

The coaches also provide us with valuable feedback which we use to enhance our various programs.