There is a well-established concept in the field of law and society that negotiations and other actions of people occur "in the shadow of the law" even when there is no direct legal involvement. Throughout my work in gender equity in the legal profession, I find that all genders function in the "shadow" of motherhood at work—regardless of whether or not they actually have children or ever intend to. Our cultural ideas of motherhood as a feminine, selfless and all-encompassing "calling" and role, is infused in the way that we look at women in the workplace, casts a shadow upon masculinity and fathers in the workplace, and even the experience of those who do not have children. This shadow of motherhood—and all of the expectations and assumptions that come with (or without) it—influences our interactions in the workplace, our organizational structures, and inevitably creates disparate experiences for everyone trying to achieve the mythical "balance" between their work lives and their lives outside of the (sometimes virtual) office. In order to achieve equity, we need to move beyond flexibility as an accommodation to parents and move to an overall structure that is flexible for all employees.