The Washington Post reported that being a lawyer is the most stressful job in the US. According to the LSWU, 71% of lawyers said that their job negatively affected their mental health.
Legal professionals are often under pressure due to the high demands and intensity of the industry. Lack of work/life balance is the main reason why lawyers and legal professionals are stressed, because it affects their mental health.
Factors inducing stress
- Legal professionals are given a huge amount of work, enough to overwhelm any person. Workload does not just include the cases that a lawyer gets, but also writing reports, organizing files, and collecting evidence. All levels of law are under pressure to finish all tasks in a short time.
- The pressure of strict deadlines increases the amount of work and time required to complete tasks. When deadlines are strict, you have to work overtime to complete tasks on time in order to avoid the consequences of clients or co-workers.
- Even a busy workday can become more difficult when dealing with difficult customers. Customers can be a challenge for anyone who works with them. These clients are usually high-end and have high standards, so there is not much room for flexibility in the legal industry. Legal professionals must adapt to their clients’ needs while adhering strictly to their role.
- Many law firms assume that working overtime is part of their job description. In a survey, Legatics found that the majority of lawyers work between 1 and 10 hours per week. The result is that people feel confined to their desks, with no time for decompression or relaxation.
- All overtime can be accounted for by the expected billable hours. Most law firms have a target of six hours of work per day for each lawyer. It only counts billable hours, not the extra work that must be done. It also means that there is no time for annual leave, or sick days. This adds to the pressure of always being at work. The average target for larger firms is 12 hours per day. It’s no wonder the legal profession suffers from high levels of stress and burnout.
A staggering number of attorneys feel that their work negatively impacts on their mental and/or physical health, leading them to question their futures in the field. Many lawyers feel they are unable to get support from their firms. No one is there to help them through stressful times and there’s no way to relieve any anxiety. Over 9 out of 10 lawyers experience burnout during their careers.
The Great Resignation
According to Pinsent Masons, 37% of UK lawyers are considering quitting their professions because it affects their mental health.
Since the pandemic, people’s priorities have changed and their work lives have been drastically altered. People began to realize the importance of personal life and that working from home allows them more time for their families. The term “great resignation” refers to a mass resignation of employees who were asked to return to work. The legal industry has been affected by this trend as more and more people are attracted to the idea of reducing stress and having more flexibility in their jobs. In a survey conducted by the Singapore Law Society, 54% of international lawyers said they would leave their current workplaces by 2027. Over half were planning to quit the legal profession.
The problem is keeping them in the firm. The reality is that many young lawyers are disappointed when they find out the job wasn’t what they had expected. This highlights the importance of managing expectations. BCL Legal reports that newly hired lawyers often leave a firm or company within the first six months.
In the end, the legal profession loses out when young people have to choose between a successful professional career and a family/social life. In a study conducted by the University of Liverpool, it was found that many young fathers feel they need to fake meetings to fulfill their childcare duties. Young parents in the legal profession fear that if they are involved in day-today childcare they will be perceived as being less committed to their job. Many professionals are leaving the legal industry because they can’t balance their home life with the demands of their job.
The legal industry is in a crisis, and many find the stress of the job unsustainable. It can be difficult to choose between career advancement and mental health.