In the old days, you couldn’t say the word “pregnant,” let alone show that you were, as the French say, enceinte. Times have changed. Demi Moore famously pregnant and nude on the cover of Vanity Fair. Rihanna showing her baby bump at last year’s Super Bowl. And just about everyone else revealing hers on the red carpet.
Still, according to the U.S. Department of Labor, 16% of the 24.2 million mothers in the U.S. labor force with children younger than 18 say they have been passed over for a promotion as a result. Brooke Goff – owner and managing partner of Goff Law Group, a personal injury firm in West Hartford – is helping to change the conversation by not only balancing a young family and a thriving business, but also encouraging working women to embrace motherhood as a superpower. Goff, who recently became a mother for the second time, didn’t hide this pregnancy. She announced it in a statewide billboard campaign, with messages like “Eating for Two While Fighting for You” and “Stay Calm, Leave it to Mom.”
“If you are a pregnant or working mother, you often lose out on job opportunities because top management is automatically assuming that you’ll be out of the office for maternity leave or sick days,” said Goff, founder and managing partner of Goff Law Group in West Hartford. “My experience is that women with children do the same amount of work in eight hours that others do in 12, because they have learned excellent time management strategies and understand that every minute is an opportunity to complete a task.”
That was her impetus in creating Goff Law Group seven years ago as the state’s largest woman-owned and operated personal injury firm, with 11 female staff lawyers, a modern-day refresh in a male-dominated sector of the legal industry.
Goff notes the job similarities between being a lawyer and a mother: Both come with high demands and require focused attention and exceptional multitasking skills. Being a business owner and a mom are also 24/7 jobs, including holidays. That’s why Goff’s firm utilizes the most advanced technology to ensure constant communication with its clients.
“As mothers, we are used to dealing with children, families and jobs after a night of limited sleep, and we show up every day with our best foot forward,” she added. “We bring that strong work ethic, patience and compassion to our jobs and provide a maternal approach when dealing with our co-workers, clients or customers, a true secret of business success.”
Indeed, Goff even brings her newborn baby to work when possible. The savvy social media strategist recently launched the Facebook Live series “Bake and Sips,” in which she shares free legal advice, while cooking with her children in tow. The series has generated 14,000 followers and sparked ongoing commentary.
“Besides winning cases for my clients, my No. 1 mission it to smash the current stereotypes surrounding working mothers,” Goff said. “In reality, employers who pass them over are losing exceptional employees, not just depriving them of their careers, but also of their celebration of motherhood.”
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