Joyce Edelman, a partner at Porter Wright, says the conversations have been enlightening and can lead to actual changes within firms.

At a recent event, a male participant talked about how lawyers are expected to be able to respond to a client around the clock, but he hadn’t considered the negative impact that expectation may have on a woman who has responsibilities as a family’s primary caretaker.

“It might be better if firms set parameters,” Edelman says. “You can answer up until midnight and then starting again at 7 a.m. but not 24/7 to give that edge to male lawyers. This is an issue that could be perceived as not having a level playing field. Several partners in my group from different firms really appreciated this insight.”