A Wellington law firm is offering families an extra six weeks of paid parental leave on top of the 22 weeks they're already entitled to by law.
Kahui Legal is offering families an extra six weeks of paid parental leave on top of the 22 weeks they're already entitled to by law. Photo: Andrew Jacombs / New Zealand Law Society
The policy was celebrated by Kahui Legal at a ceremony last night where its staff signed a gender equality charter with the Law Society.
Kahui Legal's sole female partner, Kiri Tahana, has 20 years experience as a lawyer.
But of all the challenges she's faced in her career, becoming a working mother was the greatest.
It was the reason she quit private practice all together in her early years.
"I honestly felt that I couldn't be the parent I wanted to be and stay in private practice. It's the struggle of parenting and a business model that's based on time.
"I think that model is out dated. I think that we need to value the service that we provide, not the hours we spend in providing it."
Last night Kahui Legal became the 87th law firm in the country to sign a gender equality charter.
Ms Tahana said the firm was set to review its pay equity and look at ways to retain and recruit more female staff at all levels.
"I think its really important because when you look at the legal profession, we have to acknowledge that there are structural biases in the business models of law firms and the hierarchy of law firms.
"It's a commitment by our firm to change and an acknowledgement that we want to do more."
Kahui Legal has seven female solicitors compared to six male, and all of its non-solicitor staff, including four interns, are women.
Intern Indiana Aroha Christbelle Shewen was among hundreds of Victoria law students who marched in protest this year after a string of allegations interns and graduates were sexually harassed at law firm Russell McVeagh.
"We basically just wanted to get together and stand and support the victims of sexual harassment. I think it sent a clear message to firms about what we as students expect when we're coming into the legal profession."
Staff from Kahui Legal celebrate the new paid parental leave policy. Photo: Andrew Jacombs / New Zealand Law Society
She said as a female intern, it meant a lot to see the firm commit to gender equality.
"It's actually really important for me because it firstly confirms everything they already know about Kahui Legal and the culture here and that they're committed and they're progressive.
"They want to support people like me coming in and I guess safeguard us for the future so that we can address all of these issues that happen."
More than 2000 lawyers - about a quarter of the profession in New Zealand - have signed a gender equality charter.
New Zealand Law Society President Kathryn Beck said while there was still a way to go, the uptake was a positive response to some of the issues surrounding the culture of law firms.
"Legal work places signing up to a set of commitments like this where they're committing to gender equality will make a difference to things like sexual harassment and bullying within the work place.
"We know if we can get more women in decision-making roles and in management then sexual harassment will reduce."
The Law Society is aiming to have 100 law firms adopt the gender equality charter.
