Lowenstein Sandler LLP is expanding paid parental leave for employees whose newborns require an extended stay in a neonatal intensive care unit.
As part of the revised parental leave policy announced Oct. 12, the Roseland-based firm will give workers up to eight additional weeks of leave based on the length of hospitalization. Lowenstein noted it is among the first in the legal industry to offer dedicated extended paid leave for parents of hospitalized newborns.
According to the firm, the change intends to preserve parental leave for bonding and caring for babies after they come home.
A proposal from the firm’s Women’s Initiative Network spurred the new framework.
“WIN leadership spent time researching and discussing the potential policy amongst themselves in 2025, and first raised the idea more broadly in the Spring of 2026,” a Lowenstein representative shared with NJBIZ.
According to Lowenstein, the WIN group supports and empowers women lawyers “to achieve professional and personal success.” When WIN pitched the idea to Lowenstein Chief People Officer Donatella Verrico, she immediately championed it. The firm’s Operating Committee “approved the proposal on the spot” at its September meeting.
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Verrico said, “This policy reflects something we believe strongly: NICU families deserve the best possible support during an extraordinarily difficult and uncertain time. We’re proud to formalize that support for all members of our community as a continuation of Lowenstein’s longstanding commitment to working parents.”
Lowenstein Managing Partner Jonathan Wishnia added, “When WIN identified a need, our Operating Committee was thrilled at their ingenuity and provided support without hesitation.”
Besides New Jersey, Lowenstein has offices in California, New York, Utah, Delaware and Washington, D.C. Altogether, the firm has over 400 lawyers nationwide.
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