Resume Gaps Lose Sting for Some Women Eyeing Return to Big Law

Some top law firms intent on improving their racial and gender diversity are rethinking a recruiting pipeline that has historically focused on snapping up the brightest law school graduates.

Driven by experienced women pushed out of Big Law jobs by burnout, children, or other circumstances and younger, upcoming lawyers more likely to step away from the legal grind, the pipeline for top talent is evolving, firm executives say.

“As I think about where the mindset of our newer lawyers is, Gen Z in particular, I think we’re going to see more people who choose to work for a while, take ...