Penelope Ward

I truly believe that senior leadership and flexible working are not opposed, but complementary.

In my role as a Senior Legal Counsel at Chorus, I work four days a week with Fridays devoted to caring for my young daughter. I love the flexibility and inclusiveness that Chorus champions, and the ability of staff connect and collaborate across different locations. Whether it’s dialling in remotely from home, spending time in another office, or needing to dash out to attend an appointment for my daughter, the culture is incredibly supportive of those with family responsibilities.

In recent years, it has been a pleasure to observe the changing dynamics across the legal profession and increased recognition of the value of flexible working. In particular, encouraging part time lawyers to pursue leadership positions that were once unavailable. I hope to see this trend continue, across both private practice and in-house.

Chorus is focused on increasing female leadership appointments as part of its gender equity plan, which is already paying dividends. I love working for an organisation that prioritises diversity, inclusion and enabling those with bespoke working arrangements to pursue leadership and development opportunities, and ‘have a seat at the table’.

My biggest reflection from balancing the demands of legal work and parenting is to be kind – both to yourself and to those around you. The juggle is not always easy, but there is a lot we can do to support each other. It starts by recognising the value in diversity. Some people need different ways of working, and being open to this allows them to flourish. For me, working flexibly allows me to bring the best of myself both personally and professionally.