Bethan Read

Working part-time has enabled me to continue progressing my legal career to a senior level, while still being fully present for my family. 

Since having my first daughter six years ago, I have always worked part-time. Currently, I work four days a week. In two of those days, I work from home and then I work in the office the other two days, starting early and finishing early to ensure I'm always home for dinner with my two daughters. Working part-time and flexibly helps ensure I can make as many sports days, prize givings, dance classes and school events as possible and yet I never feel like my part-time arrangements have compromised my career. I joined Morris to create and build a new department in the firm and I’ve done this entirely while working part-time.

There are two key aspects in making this work for me. The first is clear communication, organisation and boundaries - my team and my clients know when I’m working and when I’m not, ensuring that my children are my sole focus when I’m not working. I'm proud to work part-time and I’ve found the best approach is to be upfront with clients that I don’t work on Fridays - I’ve never had any pushback from anyone. The second is support, both at home and at work. I’m lucky to have a very supportive husband (who runs his own business and works flexibly), who fully shares parenting with me and is completely behind me progressing my career. At work, Morris’ partners (also both mums), have always encouraged me to adopt part-time hours alongside progressing my career and in my own team, I’m lucky to be supported by a junior lawyer who embraces my working arrangements. I think it’s important setting an example for younger lawyers to see that it is possible to be both mum and a senior lawyer.

I’ve never been as productive in my job as I have since I had children - for me every working hour is crucial as I don’t want to have to catch up on my non-working day. I think part-time workers are some of the hardest working members of the workforce and assets to businesses. I’m grateful I’ve never had to choose between my career and being the mum I wanted to be.