Mitt Romneys binders full of women comment became the iconic meme of the 2012 election. The binder buzz from the cloud was so immediate that it drowned out the finale of Romneys response to how he would address gender pay inequality: He understood womens needs for flexible schedules. As governor of Massachusetts, Romney ensured that his chief of staff could be home to have dinner on the table. And he would create an economy and demand for workers so strong that employers would be anxious to have even women as employees.
Romneys response channeled an antiquated view of law firm practice management: flexible schedules are a complication and sacrifice that business must endure on behalf of women. This 9-to-5, pre-wired, single-employer mode of thinking binds lawyers of all genders and the economics of law.
