Contact Us!
625 E. Court Ave, Suite 100, Des Moines, IA 50309

Phone: (515) 243-3904
Fax: (515) 244-8845
Email: Info@pcbaonline.org

Executive Director:
Carol Burdette
Email: cburdette@pcbaonline.org

Reading the newspaper the other day started me thinking about the twin issues of keeping young workers in Iowa and keeping ones employees. (the Register Business October 8, 2007)  I then heard about two young women who are leaving the private practice of law and the "little grey cells" started to work on these related problems. The legal community in Polk County needs to make a bigger effort to keep young people with families in the private practice of law.  There, I've said it, and in saying so I had better offer up a few suggestions as to how that could be accomplished.   How about utilizing flex hours ?  People with young children need to get to the day care before it closes, and their partner may have a job too.  Why can't more work be done at home ala the virtual office?  Are weekends really a necessary part of the work week? As Chief Justice Marsha Ternus used to say when she was in private practice, Saturday mornings are just a time for the guys to read the paper and get away from their families!  I hope she appreciates the attribution!  People need to feel that it's okay to take their vacations, occasionally leave early on Friday afternoons and leave early to see a soccer match.  I hear the voices in reply.  Sure there are lots of young lawyers looking for jobs and willing to fill them.  Are those associates going to stay?  Are new grads looking for jobs out of state instead of staying in Iowa?  The workbytes columnist stated: "Unless something is done soon, it is projected that Iowa will have no one left working by 2015".  So lets have a discussion about what our firms can do to make the career of lawyer more attractive to young people with families, and yes I am talking about young women lawyers who seem most often affected by demands of work and family.

Sincerely,

Susan L. Ekstrom

President