New York—Dentons, the world’s largest law firm, today announced a perk for all in its US region to gain the hour of personal time lost over the weekend when most areas “spring forward.” As part of its innovative multifaceted Wellness for Life initiative, “Daylight Savings -- lose an hour and gain an hour,” launches today in which the Firm emphasized that weekends and off hours are a critical time for lawyers and staff to recharge and re-energize.

“Our business and profession is all about talent, and we are committed to continuously building a healthy work environment,” said US CEO Mike McNamara. “Our lawyers and staff work incredibly hard, and losing an hour of weekend time struck us as an opportunity to give something back to them, just as they give to each other and our clients every day. Our culture is centered around innovation, so we are asking our colleagues to be creative with how they personally decide to use this time.”

Among the suggestions the Firm provided in its internal memo announcing the perk are: take a nap, come in late, leave early, finish that great book or podcast, go for a walk, or take a longer lunch.  Lawyers and staff have until the end of March to use their hour.

“This is a new perk we are introducing this year,” said Jill Maganza-Ruiz, Dentons US HR director. “ We recognize the importance of work-life balance and stress management, and we hope that they will make a priority of doing something relaxing for themselves with this time.”

Dentons expanded its Wellness for Life program for lawyers, professionals and staff, which now includes monthly internal webinars on a range of topics, including work-life balance, mindfulness, prioritizing and managing stress. The Firm is also currently testing a pilot program offering an onsite wellness coach to help address professional or personal issues and provide counseling or offer referrals.  Dentons was also an early signatory of the American Bar Association’s pledge and campaign to improve the mental health and well-being of lawyers.

Earlier this week, Dentons announced the launch of NextTalent, an innovative and bespoke talent development program that will support its lawyers and professionals’ career goals, by focusing on the capabilities needed to succeed in the law firm of the future. It brings together the Firm’s focus on innovation, fueled by the Firm’s industry-leading Nextlaw Labs, with leading research on behavioral science. At NextTalent’s core are leadership, team development, mindfulness, emotional intelligence and resilience. Applying these elements will enable every lawyer and professional in the Firm to develop and unlock human potential in the digital era.

About Dentons

Across over 80 countries, Dentons helps you grow, protect, operate and finance your organization by providing uniquely global and deeply local legal solutions. Polycentric, purpose-driven and committed to inclusion, diversity, equity and sustainability, we focus on what matters most to you. www.dentons.com