Here at Yungo Law, we’re leading the way in creating a modern law firm in the UAE and Europe that not only provides excellent legal services but also promotes inclusivity.

In September 2023, we launched our “Empowerment Through Reintegration” program. This initiative is designed to support individuals, particularly women, who are looking to return to the workforce after a career break. The aim is to break down any barriers they face upon returning and to help them re-enter their legal careers with confidence.

In this article, we look at why this initiative is so important, particularly for mothers in the legal profession, and how our employees are benefitting from it.

Challenges for Women in Legal

Many women in the legal field face challenges when trying to balance their careers with family commitments. It’s hardly news that many senior women end up leaving their jobs in law due to family caregiving responsibilities.

Many women describe what has been called the ‘motherhood penalty’ in the legal profession, affecting women’s career opportunities, compensation, and advancement in a field that demands long hours and constant availability. This not only affects women’s professional growth but also impacts diversity and inclusivity within the wider legal industry.

Zarqa Altaf, Senior Associate at Yungo Law and dedicated mother of three, explains her own experience of trying to manage her legal career whilst raising her young family:

“I had a fulfilling career in law before becoming a parent, which started when I joined my previous firm as a trainee solicitor. With hard work and persistence, I eventually became a qualified solicitor and worked my way up to becoming a salaried partner.

When I had my first child in England, it didn’t have a significant impact on my career as I had the support of my family. However, when my family moved to the UAE and I became pregnant with my second child, things became challenging. We didn’t have any family or external help.

After my second child was born, I took a break from my career to focus on my family. I felt it was essential to be present in their lives and for their upbringing. This break lasted longer after the birth of my third child, but I had no regrets about dedicating my time to my family. It brought me a sense of fulfilment to invest my energy into their upbringing and be there for them during those early stages of their lives.”

But when it came to trying to get back to her career as a lawyer, despite her excellent track record in law, it was not straightforward for Zarqa.

“Taking a break from my legal career presented some challenges. I had to rebuild my professional confidence because I found myself forgetting how to do simple tasks, and I wondered if my skills were still good enough.

I had to learn new things and catch up to changes in my field. Additionally, I had to prove to my clients that I was still competent. Despite these challenges, I was determined and eager to succeed, and with time, I was able to overcome them.”

This is where our Empowerment Through Reintegration programme was able to help Zarqa. She explains why she decided to join our team:

“My friend introduced me to Yungo Law, a firm that focuses on empowering women. Their ideas resonated with me, and I was convinced it was the right choice for me. Yungo Law allowed me to strike the right balance between work and family life, empowering me to continue with my career while also being there for my children.”

“Empowerment Through Reintegration”: The Initiative in Action

Our program has been developed to meet the unique needs of each participant. We work with HR specialists and motivational coaches to provide personalised support to enhance skills, and offer a flexible work model to allow individuals to excel in their careers while managing and enjoying their personal lives.

Zarqa is a great example of our “Empowerment Through Reintegration” program’s success. After a four year break, with the support of our program, she confidently returned to her career as a lawyer at Yungo Law.. Zarqa explains why this was so important to her:

“As a mother of three, I realised how important it was to have something for myself and return to my career. I wanted to show my boys that women can have a career and also provide care and support to their family. It wasn’t an easy decision, but I was determined to succeed.”

For Zarqa, our initiative was a career lifeline. She has been able to reclaim her professional identity and contribute to our firm’s success. After only a few months she has hit the ground running to become a valuable member of the Yungo Law team – in fact, we are not sure what we ever did without her!

And it is not only Zarqa who has recognised the impact of this initiative. We were thrilled to win Equality and Diversity Initiative of the Year at the LexisNexis Women in Law Awards 2024, which is great recognition.

 

Looking Forward at Yungo Law

Yungo Law’s “Empowerment Through Reintegration” initiative is our promise to make the legal field more welcoming and fair. With modern, flexible support, we help people confidently return to work, grow, and bring their legal and commercial skills to our team.

As we continue to lead as a modern law firm in the UAE and beyond, this is just the beginning of what we hope to be many more women re-entering their legal careers with the firm to find a work-life balance that works for them

Yungo Law is your legal partner in the UAE and EU. We can draw on over a hundred years of experience of supporting private clients and corporations in the UAE, Italy and France to support you. No matter your legal challenge, the team at Yungo Law has the expertise to tackle it head-on. If you are a client in the Middle East or Europe looking for support, or a lawyer looking for a different way to work, get in touch with Clotilde Iaia Polak at clotilde@yungo.ae.

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