What Working In Law Really Does To New Mums Returning From Maternity Leave
By Zoe Scorah, founder of My Maternity Coach | Published 30 June 2026 | Updated October 2026
Since starting My Maternity Coach I’ve worked with a few different law firms, and I’ve learnt a lot along the way. The barriers new mums face when they return to work after maternity leave in law are huge. But there is so much a firm can do to make coming back feel steady and supported, and that’s what I want to talk about here.
How long does it take for confidence to recover after maternity leave in law?
For most women in law, it takes around nine months. A BlueSky survey of more than 250 fee earners found only 10% of women felt very positive about career enhancing opportunities three months after returning, rising to 44% at nine months. (Source: Law Society Gazette, February 2025)
I’ll be honest, there isn’t much research looking specifically at mums returning to work in law. What does exist is really telling though, and it matches almost everything I hear from the women I work with.
On partnership, only 25% of women on maternity leave felt confident they’d make partner. That went up to 32% three months after returning and 77% after nine months, even though 83% said they wanted to get there.
When I read those numbers, I keep coming back to how long it takes. Confidence does come back, but it takes the best part of a year. That’s nearly a year of feeling less capable than you know you are, in a job where confidence matters so much.
Why does flexible working matter so much for new mums in law?
Working from home cuts out the commute, eases the morning rush and gives mums breathing space with the mental load. Yet 62% of people in the same survey said their firm had asked for more time in the office over the past year.
For new mums that’s a big deal. The mental load goes through the roof when you become a working mum. Take flexibility away just as women are trying to find their feet again and a hard transition gets even harder.
Do law firms have proper maternity policies?
Not all of them. A Solicitors Regulation Authority survey of 554 solicitors found around a fifth of firms had no formal pregnancy and maternity policy at all, and support varied a lot from firm to firm. (Source: Solicitors Regulation Authority)
Some women were even expected to make up the time, or catch up on work they’d missed, after pregnancy appointments.
That gap in policy is worrying enough. But policies only tell you part of it. What I really want to know is how women are actually feeling about going back. How are they coping with being a mum and working in such a demanding environment at the same time? A policy document can’t tell you that.
How can law firms support mums returning from maternity leave?
Start by getting honest about where you are now, then build support around the emotional side of coming back, not just the policy. That means listening to your mums first, and supporting their line managers too.
It’s really hard to know what good looks like, or what to do next, until you’ve taken a proper look at what’s happening inside your firm. That could be:
a short survey for mums who’ve returned in the last couple of years
a quick anonymous poll
one to one conversations so you hear people’s experiences in their own words, not just numbers on a page
Once you’ve got that picture, you can work out what good support looks like for you. Policies matter, of course, but so does how you support women, and their managers, through the emotional side of coming back. That’s the bit that makes the biggest difference to how women feel, and whether they stay.
The same goes for dads and partners taking shared parental leave. The return is a big transition for anyone, and firms that get it right for maternity tend to get it right for parental leave too.
How My Maternity Coach supports law firms
I work with firms at every stage, whether you’re right at the beginning and want to understand where you stand, or you’ve done the groundwork and want to know what comes next. That might be one to one coaching for your returners, support for line managers, or helping you shape your approach to parental leave. Get in touch, I’d love to have a chat.
How long does it take to settle back into work after maternity leave?For women in law, research suggests confidence takes around nine months to recover. Every return is different, and good support from the firm can make that settling in period much easier.
What is maternity return coaching?It’s one to one coaching
that supports women before, during and after maternity leave, helping them rebuild confidence, set boundaries and plan their return. Some firms also offer coaching for line managers.
Is maternity coaching worth it for law firms?Losing a trained solicitor is expensive, and most people who leave after maternity leave do so in the first six months back. Coaching helps women feel supported through that window, which helps firms keep their talent.
Does My Maternity Coach work with law firms outside Bristol?Yes. I’m based near Bristol and work with firms across the South West in person, and across the UK online.
