As law firms continue to ramp up their parental leave policies, Shearman & Sterling is enhancing its offerings for its U.S. lawyers and expanding them to staffers.

Under the firm's new policy, announced Wednesday and effective as of Sept. 1, Shearman & Sterling will provide additional time off for working parents regardless of gender, following the birth, adoption or fostering of their new child.

The enhancements to the parental leave policy will give the firm's U.S. lawyers who are primary caregivers up to 20 weeks of paid leave, an increase from the 18 weeks of maternity leave that Shearman & Sterling had previously offered. The firm is also providing primary caregivers among its staff up to 14 weeks of paid leave. Shearman & Sterling had previously given salaried staffers up to six weeks of paid leave and no leave for its hourly staffers.