The Spotlight on Flex showcases professionals from member organizations who exemplify personal and professional success while working a flexible schedule. Their stories illustrate the long-term benefits that flexible schedules offer to both individuals and organizations.
This month, we are pleased to share insights from Danielle Frappier, Partner in the Washington, DC office of Davis Wright Tremaine LLP.
Diversity & Flexibility Alliance: How have you made work-life control a priority and a success with your schedule?
Danielle Frappier: The key to making it work for me has been to remain responsive to clients, have a great team behind me, and keep things very organized. Although I try to keep certain core office hours, if there is an urgent matter, I make sure that I am available or someone on my team can cover it. Most of my clients don’t know (or forgot) that I have a part-time schedule because I work very hard to make sure that their needs are taken care of. That wouldn’t be possible without my fantastic team.
I actually think my part time schedule has helped me to achieve my business development goals, although I didn’t realize it when I first made the change. I was struggling to create my own business development path, particularly after having children, because all of my waking hours were consumed with attending either to client work or children. After I had my second child, my mentor suggested that I switch to an 80% part time schedule. That’s when a light went off for me: I could use that 20% “cushion” in multiple ways. Of course, it helped when I needed to take a sick child to the pediatrician or attend a school function. But I could also use it for business and career development activities.
I soon began to develop my own business, and have been very successful at generating work for my team and the firm. Last year I had the second highest book of business firm-wide and kept a lot of people busy. It was not an easy feat, especially in this tough, competitive market.
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