April 11, 2007 10:40 PM

Law firms: still no take your kid to work day?
Posted by Diane Danielsonat 10:40 PM

I liked this interview in Sunday's Boston Globe with Julia Huston, the president of the Women's Bar Association of Massachusetts called "Between the bar and a glass ceiling".  I liked that Sacha Pfeiffer pulled no punches on the following questions:

Q Do you have children?

A No.

Q Are you married?

A Yes.

Q Some female associates who want children and also want to become partners feel hopeless when they see female partners at their firms who are childless. Since you don't have kids, can you be an effective advocate for women lawyers who want children?

A It is important as a woman to support the right of all women -- and, indeed, all attorneys -- to lead balanced lives. I have always advocated for the rights of women in the profession and will continue to do so regardless of whether I have children. Working in a family-friendly environment benefits everyone. We all have lives outside of work.

And I liked Julia's answer even more.  The only tweak I might make would be to say "working in a life-friendly environment benefits everyone."  It's possible for people to have a life without necessarily having a "family" in the traditional sense.