Managing positive wellbeing in law firms

The latest Life in the Law Report ^[1] was published by LawCare, a mental health charity for the legal profession, on 2 October 2025 (the Report), and makes for very stark reading. The Report expands upon the charity’s first study into understanding the impact of work culture and working practices on the wellbeing of legal professionals carried out in 2020.

The conversation about mental health and wellbeing has become more prominent since COVID. Some may argue that it has been a hidden pandemic, as the legal profession was already facing a mental health crisis, albeit a silent one. There are implications from failing to prioritise mental health and wellbeing, not just for the individuals concerned but also law firms by way of ethical, financial and reputational consequences. Consequentially, there is also the risk of diminishing the trust the public places in solicitors and the legal services they provide.

This article will examine how law firm leaders can prioritise mental health within their businesses to help build a thriving and sustainable legal profession.

The research

The aim of the research was to understand how the constantly evolving legal landscape has impacted mental health and wellbeing within the legal profession. This was achieved by asking both individuals and organisations questions about current levels of mental health and wellbeing, how they felt about working in the legal sector and what was having a negative and positive impact on mental health and wellbeing. The research was carried out during the period of 15 January 2025 to 21 March 2025.

Key findings from the report

How do people feel about working in the legal sector?

Overall, there are high levels of dissatisfaction experienced by people working in the legal profession, with many considering changing their roles or leaving the profession altogether which is concerning.

When asked how people felt about working in the legal sector, 56.2% responded that they could see themselves leaving their current law firm within the next five years. A further 32.1% said they would consider leaving the profession entirely within the next five years.

What are the current levels of mental health and wellbeing of people in the legal sector?

Almost 60% of participants stated that their current level of mental health and wellbeing was poor. 43.4% stated that work was heavily influencing their mental health and wellbeing and there was evidence to suggest that participants were showing a high risk of burnout. Of those reporting poor mental health just over a quarter had disclosed it to their line manager or supervisor. Unfortunately, the Report also raised concerns around psychological safety.

What is undermining mental health and wellbeing in the legal workplace?

Participants stated that high levels of work were undermining their mental health and wellbeing, with 78.7% working in excess of their contracted hours. 29.6% stated they were working an extra five hours a week, with 8.5% working in excess of 21 hours extra per week. 45% of participants were worried about not achieving their chargeable or billing targets.

Sadly, the survey identified concerns about bullying, harassment and discrimination. These issues had been previously identified in the first Life in the Law report published in 2021. Almost a fifth of participants stated that they had been bullied, harassed or discriminated against at their place of work in the preceeding 12 months. When asked about their experiences, 65% said they had felt bullied, harassed or discriminated against by their line mangers or supervisors. Furthermore, when asked if their experiences had been dealt with appropriately 71.8% stated that they had not. It is recognised that a lot of work has been done around preventing bullying, harassment and discrimination in the workplace, including the changes in the Solicitors Regulation Authority’s Codes of Conduct ^[2][3][4] around ‘fair treatment’ being introduced in 2023. However, it is clear from the Report that more commitment from law firms is needed to acknowledge and address the links between wellbeing and diversity, equality and inclusion.

What could have a positive impact on mental health and wellbeing in legal workplaces?

The research identified two factors that can result in a positive impact on the mental health and wellbeing in law firms, these were legal education and specific training for managers.

The findings in the Report suggested that the legal training provided to lawyers commencing their career could be improved by including practical ongoing training modules on wellbeing and resilience, leadership skills including communication and interpersonal skills for working with clients and colleagues. The research also identified that mentoring programmes by senior management would also benefit junior lawyers as part of their vocational education.

Nearly half of the participants surveyed were responsible for managing others and it is recognised that managers have a crucial role in supporting mental health and fostering a positive workplace culture. Yet, just over half of participants in managerial roles said that they had been given the necessary training to support them in their managerial role and less than a quarter of those individuals had been provided with specific training on mental health and wellbeing.

93% of participants said they considered training should be mandatory for those responsible for managing others. It was accepted that people who were good lawyers were not necessarily good managers, and people management was a skill that needed to be learnt, and managers would benefit from a coaching and mentoring programme.

Not all individuals in managerial positions were given the necessary resources they needed to be an effective manager, and some felt that chargeable hours and billing were taking priority. Just over 40% stated that there was no recognition of the additional time needed to supervise others and their targets and chargeable hours had not been adjusted accordingly. Therefore, many were having to exceed their contracted hours in order to supervise others and meet their targets and chargeable hours.

Recommendations for improving mental health and wellbeing in law firms

The research identified that whilst many law firms were taking positive steps to support mental health and foster a culture of positive wellbeing, the concern was that the response was reactive rather than preventative, despite increased awareness and activity. Sadly, there has been very little change since the first Life in the Law study.

The Report has highlighted the need for strong leadership and a commitment from law firm leaders to improve wellbeing and mental health in the legal workplace. Now is a pivotal moment for management to make the changes needed to embed mental health and wellbeing into their law firms’ DNA, so that it becomes second nature.

Law firms may consider taking the following steps to lead them on the right path to protecting, promoting and enhancing mental health and wellbeing in the workplace:

• Review and manage capacity and financial targets for all fee earners, including supervisors and managers, so that they are manageable and not excessive
• Make sure that all supervisors and managers have the necessary training, time and resources needed to effectively support their fee earners and manage their own wellbeing
• Embed a hybrid and flexible working environment
• Evaluate existing wellbeing policies and activities to ensure they are fit for purpose and revise where necessary
• Implement a rolling programme of wellbeing education and awareness for those commencing their legal careers through to those in senior position to ensure sustainability

Conclusion

It is acknowledged that the legal profession can be a stressful working environment, lawyers are making fast paced critical decisions and performing at their best for their clients. The pursuit for excellence can come at a cost if not correctly managed.

The Report has highlighted that there are persistent and concerning issues around wellbeing within the legal profession, progress is being made but it is not enough. People are the assets of a law firm, as with all assets they need protecting, and there is a need for destigmatising mental health and poor wellbeing. If this is not prioritised by law firm leaders, the consequences may result in poor ethical behaviour and financial and reputational damage, which in turn may diminish the trust the public places in the legal profession and the services they provide. The key is to proactively manage this priority risk by fostering a culture of positive wellbeing as this will go a long way towards ensuring the legal profession is mentally healthy and sustainable.

Footnotes

1. Life in the Law Report. Return to article
2. SRA Code of Conduct for Solicitors, RELs, RFLs and RSLs. Return to article
3. SRA Code of Conduct for Firms. Return to article
4. Guidance. Return to article