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Dentons offers extra week of leave, increases parental leave entitlements
Global law firm Dentons is providing its Australian employees with an additional five days of bonus leave every year, which it says is to encourage staff to “take the time to recharge”, and has also upped its provisions for parental leave.
Jerome Doraisamy
Dentons has unveiled a new benefit for its staff in Australia, which allows them the option of additional days of leave over the course of a calendar year.
The new incentive, the firm said, is designed to encourage employees to take the time to recharge by using their annual leave to ensure they receive the benefit of bonus leave.
The news follows the firm entering into a combination with PJS Law in the Philippines, first reported in Australia by Lawyers Weekly.
Speaking about the new incentive, Dentons chief operating officer Maureen Migliazzo (pictured) said that it is “vital” that legal professionals take the time to relax, recharge and re-evaluate.
“Our bonus leave is intended to reward our people with additional time to prioritise their mental, physical and emotional wellbeing,” she explained.
Elsewhere, the global firm has also bolstered its paid parental leave arrangements for all direct carers, as part of Dentons’ new family leave policy.
The revised policy, the firm said, “drops talk of gendered terms or traditional parenting roles”.
Moving forward, it will include key language around kinship groups that will be particularly useful for those of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander descent, as well as those of diverse gender and sexuality.
Dentons will be providing equal access to 20 weeks of paid leave, it said, for any direct carer of a new child.
Ms Migliazzo continued: “Welcoming a new child into your home is a big commitment.
“Our new family leave policy is designed to support direct carers and allow them more time to spend with their families during what is a very special time.”
Dentons Australian chair Doug Stipanicev added: “Looking after our employees is key to Dentons’ strategy.
“Our people are fundamental to our success, and we are always looking for ways to acknowledge their efforts and dedication.”
Lawyers Weekly has extensively covered the parental leave allowances of various BigLaw firms. To read those stories, click here.
In recent months, Mr Stipanicev has sat down with Lawyers Weekly to discuss the firm’s revenue plans for the coming years, as well as its “investment in culture” in Australia.
Mr Stipanicev was also recently reappointed for a third term in his role.
Elsewhere, Dentons decided late last year to formally retire the role of global chair and also promoted 28 lawyers in June of last year and appointed six new partners towards the end of 2022.
Jerome Doraisamy
Jerome Doraisamy is the editor of Lawyers Weekly. A former lawyer, he has worked at Momentum Media as a journalist on Lawyers Weekly since February 2018, and has served as editor since March 2022. He is also the host of all five shows under The Lawyers Weekly Podcast Network, and has overseen the brand's audio medium growth from 4,000 downloads per month to over 60,000 downloads per month, making The Lawyers Weekly Show the most popular industry-specific podcast in Australia. Jerome is also the author of The Wellness Doctrines book series, an admitted solicitor in NSW, and a board director of Minds Count.
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