Any lawyers work a 3 day week?

[ChrisQuean]

Did anyone manage to negotiate 3 days a week in a fee earning role? The rule seems to be 4 days a week and to juggle work on the fourth day, so it’s effectively full time with a 20% salary reduction. I want to try doing 3 days but I’ve hit a brick wall with my firm. They say, effectively but oh-so-reasonably, that 3 days a week is a non starter. Anyone made that work, esp in the City? I don’t know anyone who has been in a fee earning role on 3 days PT.

I’m a Senior Associate in a niche Finance practice area, Silver Circle firm, returning to work in Feb. I went back full time after DC1 and DC2 for career reasons, but I can’t manage FT any more because 3 x DCs is such a juggle and DH travels all the time, so I solo parent a lot. With partnership v unlikely, there’s no incentive to be FT, and we can manage financially so I want to cut back and get a proper work life balance, but the firm says it’s 4 days a week, fully flexible on my part or nothing.

I know a few people who have managed four days a week after may leave (I myself am going back next week on a four day week basis on a trial period), but have not heard of anyone doing three.

I guess it would expect on the nature of the work though. I work in a busy transactional department and am a bit apprehensive about fitting everything into four days. My worry doing three would be that it would just end up being five days worth of work crammed into fewer days...