Bird & Bird becomes latest City firm to offer equal parental leave

Bird & Bird has overhauled its family leave offering in its London office, introducing 26 weeks of full paid parental leave to all parents regardless of gender or route to parenthood.

The move reflects a wider City shift as firms rethink parental benefits to stay competitive, particularly for mid-career lawyers most likely to be starting families.

Employees with at least one year of service can take up to 26 weeks on full pay and up to 52 weeks overall, with the option to split leave into two separate blocks during the year following the birth or placement of their child.

Under the previous framework, non-birth parents were limited to four weeks of paid leave unless they opted into shared parental leave. The new policy removes that complexity by putting all parents on the same footing.

What the firm says

Phil Sherrell, partner and head of London, said: "This policy represents an important step in creating a more equitable environment for all our people.” He added that the new policy removes "long-standing barriers" and ensures every parent can play a "meaningful role in the early months of their child’s life".

Andrea Pankhurst, head of HR, said they are providing everyone with “the freedom to focus on their family without compromise”.

Pressure on mid-level talent

Retention pressure is particularly acute among senior associates, counsel and new partners, the cohort most likely to be starting families. Senior associates are also the unhappiest cohort inside UK law firms according to a recent Chambers report, with two in five associates at large firms planning to leave within five years, with wellbeing cited as a key concern.

UK cultural and policy shifts are also in the mix, including greater scrutiny of gender pay gaps, expanded flexible working rights and renewed focus on strengthening partner pipelines. Expanding parental leave ticks both the wellbeing and inclusion boxes, while remaining a relatively low-risk, high-visibility lever for firms looking to improve retention.

The Big Four benchmark

Professional services benchmarks have also moved in a way that is hard for City law firms to ignore.

Deloitte’s move to equalise parental leave in 2024 had outsized signalling power in the UK market, setting a highly visible baseline across professional services. The comparison matters given the close overlap between City law firms and Big Four in terms of career path and clients, particularly in areas such as tax and advisory.

The wider lens

Bird & Bird’s move lands as more large law firms revisit parental leave policies.

A report last year found that 165 UK employers offer equal parental leave, including law firms Addleshaw Goddard, Clyde & Co, Herbert Smith Freehills, Linklaters and Mishcon de Reya. Ashurst was among the early movers in 2021 rolling out 26 weeks of fully paid paternity leave regardless of gender identity or parental role.