It's a Generational Thing, Stupid.

I've said it before and I'll say it again--work/life balance issues are not "women's" issues, they're generational issues.  The vast majority of Gen X (and now Gen Y) lawyers of both genders value life balance over a large bank account balance.  Period.

Once that concept eventually worms its way into the thick skulls of those Boomers at the "top" of the legal profession, things will begin to change--and quickly.  I predict that as Gen Y floods the legal marketplace, change will be fairly obvious by 2012 and that the change in the infrastructure of law firms will become increasingly evident with each passing year.

Yet another article highlights this very fact, this time from the Fulton County Daily Report.  The article discusses the generational differences and predicts that the younger generations' outlook may soon have a startling effect upon the legal field.

From the article:

Fundamental differences in how people of different ages communicate -- in large part because of new technologies -- have created gaps in the workplace. "These problems are real," said Arin N. Reeves, the lawyer, professor, scholar and diversity consultant who moderated the discussion and who is president of the Chicago-based The Athens Group. "The communications issues cause real conflicts in the workplace"...

Conflicts stem from the different technologies each generation grew up using to communicate, Reeves said, but the problem is much more complicated. People of different generations seem to view almost everything differently. Reeves urged the gathering of in-house lawyers and law firm partners, associates and summer interns attending the event to think about issues from others' point of view...

Also, the generations define the work day differently. Lawyers now carry laptops, cell phones and BlackBerrys wherever they go and answer calls and questions day, night and on weekends. This all-access environment has prompted younger lawyers not to feel compelled to come in early and stay late at the office, Reeves said. They might not even feel compelled to be there from 9 to 5. They value a work-life balance more and see no need to sit in an office all day when they know they're going to be on their laptop at midnight.