Norton Rose Fulbright has improved its paternity leave packages and simplified maternity pay, scrapping its return-to-work bonus system in a bid to improve staff retention.

The moves are among a raft of changes the firm is making as rivals in the City prepare to adapt to new rules on maternity and paternity leave, set to come in next year.

All Norton Rose staff with 52 weeks' continuous service with the firm in London are now eligible for up to 28 weeks of maternity leave on full pay, distributed on a monthly basis.

The new package replaces the firm's previous system in which maternity pay was scaled down over time. Under the old system, fee earners and senior support staff on maternity leave would receive six weeks' worth of full pay, followed by 12 weeks on 50% and then 22 weeks on 25%, equalling 17.5 weeks full pay. This was followed by three additional lump sum return-to-work bonuses, each equivalent to four weeks' full pay, meaning total maternity pay for those returning to work was 29.5 weeks.

The new system will see non-managerial support staff gain up to 10 weeks' extra full pay. Previously they were entitled to six weeks' full pay followed by 12 weeks on 50% and a further six weeks of full pay, offered in a lump sum upon their return to work.

Diversity and inclusion manager Sacha de Klerk said: "It is important that our employees are able to access their income when they need it. Under the new policy they can take time out without worrying about their income and rushing back to work. We wanted to make sure our policies were all inclusive and that they were useful for everyone at the firm."

De Klerk added that lawyers and staff at the firm typically take around nine months' leave.

Meanwhile, paternity pay for fee earners and staff has increased from one week's full pay plus the statutory rate of £138.38 or 90% of earnings, to two weeks' full pay.

The moves, which took effect at the start of this month, are among a series of changes to the firm's policies following a consultation spanning several months.

The firm has adjusted its adoption policy so that the primary and secondary adopters respectively receive the enhanced maternity and paternity packages. It has also changed its surrogacy policy to reflect its maternity and paternity policy.

Meanwhile both men and women are now entitled to four days' leave on full pay for fertility treatment.

De Klerk spearheaded the consultation alongside competition partner Peter Scott and corporate finance partner Maria Ross.

The news comes as other firms are preparing to review their paternity policies in light of new Government policy that allows parents to share parental leave from April 2015.

Ahead of the change, Berwin Leighton Paisner is planning to introduce enhanced paternity packages for all staff, although it has not formalised a new policy.

Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer, which is reviewing its policy over the summer, is set to make a decision in September.

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