What Would CST, P.A. Look Like?

I got a great set of questions from an MOJ reader in response to my description of UST's Restructuring the Workplace symposium:

I am curious to know if the academics who spoke at the conference have ever tried to start their own law firms governed by the principles of Catholic Social Teaching, or whether the MOJ bloggers (or other Catholic lawyers) have ever talked about starting a law firm built on the principles of Catholic Social Teaching?  I think it would be an interesting project. 

I would also be curious to know what such a law firm might look like.  How would the firm structure the pay scale, or the relative pay between partners, associates and other employees?  What kind of ownership structure would be appropriate?  What kind of fees would they charge their clients?  What kind of pro bono commitment would be required?  How many billable hours would be expected?  Would hours even be counted?  What sort of mentoring would be expected?  What would be done with excess profits?

I know the Focolare movement has some businesses that distribute their excess profits to the Focolare community, which then distributes them around the world to other community members.  (I think the book describing their economic philosophy is called The Economy of Communion.)  Would a law firm governed by Catholic Social Teaching follow the same principles?

 

Given that a great number of modern lawyers are overworked, unhappy, and engaged in jobs that have nothing to do with the promotion of justice, is a new kind of law firm the sort of project that Catholic lawyers (especially academics!) ought to be involved in founding?  Would a law firm based on the principles of Catholic Social Teaching be the kind of witness the legal profession needs?

Here's my opening gambit:  CST, P.A. would offer the same maternity leave benefits instituted a few years ago by the Australian Catholic University -- a full year of maternity leave, with the first 12 weeks at full pay, and an additional 40 weeks at 60% pay.  This would be available to staff and lawyers, and to men and women with primary caregiving responsibility.   For a comprehensive discussion of why I think this would be appropriate for a law firm governed by Catholic Social Teachings, see my forthcoming article, Motherhood and the Mission: What Catholic Law Schools Could Learn From Harvard About Women.

Before dismissing the idea out-of-hand as "too expensive", consider a couple of things.  (1)  The leadership of Australian Catholic University determined that, given the relatively small number of actual employees who are ever out on maternity leave at any one time, this option was actually much cheaper than offering across the board pay raises to retain staff and employees.  (2) Test that proposition out yourselves, anecdotally:  in your own workplaces, how many staff and faculty are ever really primary caregivers of children under 1 years old at any one time?  (3)  Google the term "boomerang employee", and skim the myriad articles about this hot new H.R. phenomenon -- capturing the economic value of rehiring workers who left your firm or company in the past -- many of whom are women who dropped out to raise small children.

Any other ideas on the structure of CST, P.A.?