A huge question for moms considering more flexible job arrangements is how will I be paid? I’m happy to accept hugs as payment for my mom duties—especially when they come from surly teenagers—but my attorney duties are another matter. I like my wages to be in proportion to the work I do!
Reduced salary
A salary commensurate with reduced hours can work, as long as your hours don’t steadily creep up without a raise in pay. If you agree to 2/3 of a salary for 2/3 of the annual hourly billing requirement, it’s fair as long as your annual hours are close to the 2/3 range.
I’ve had friends make such arrangements at law firms only to end up going back to full-time because their hours moved up while their pay did not. On the positive side, they found that once they made partner, they had more flexibility.
One idea to avoid the gradual up-creep is to negotiate an hourly rate for billable hours worked beyond an agreed number. You might even consider putting an extra premium on those hours!
Hourly wages
Personally, I like an hourly wage arrangement based on billable hours worked. I earn more when I work more, and it also benefits the firm if work slows down. Hourly pay should be available whether you are an employee of the firm or an independent contractor. I’ve been paid hourly in both capacities.
The way it works for me currently is the firm administrator reviews the total number of billable hours I’ve submitted at the point in time when she does payroll, and then she issues a paycheck based on those hours. It’s certainly incentive to keep my bills up-to-date. (At least it should be!)
Caveat: I don’t have personal experience working for a firm that receives income from contingency fees, but I will be happy to research that and post about it later.
How does your pay flex?
If you have a different experience, I’d love to hear about it!
FlexWork for Attorney Moms 
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