Free online session delivered by Natalie Isaia from Empresa Psychology
Moral injury is an emerging issue in the legal profession that can affect wellbeing, engagement, and performance. This free online session (which took place on 2 June 2026) explored what it is, how it shows up in legal practice, and what can be done to prevent it.
In high-pressure legal environments, we often talk about “resilience” and “toughness.” But what happens when the very nature of the work (conflicting duties, ethical grey areas, and systemic pressures) erodes a lawyer’s professional identity?
This goes beyond wellbeing. It is about moral injury: a distinct psychological experience that occurs when our deeply held values are transgressed through the necessities of our work activities. Unlike burnout, which is a depletion of energy, moral injury leads to a depletion of professional conviction. If left unaddressed, it leads to values-based attrition, poor performance, and disengagement.
The session:
- defined moral injury and explained how it differs from burnout and vicarious trauma
- provided real world examples of how moral injury looks in legal practice,
- introduced a practical framework that attendees could use to mitigate the impact of moral injury on their mental health and performance,
- offered guidance for firm-wide interventions that support a robust, high-performance culture by protecting against the long-term impacts of moral injury
Who was it for?
This session benefited individuals at every stage of their legal career. It had particular relevance to:
- Junior lawyers – so that they can develop appropriate strategies to build sustainable careers.
- Senior leaders or anyone with responsibility for firm-wide training and culture initiatives, so that they can embed systemic interventions that elevate firm culture and reduce people-related operational risks.
The session was hosted by LawCare and delivered by Natalie Isaia from Empresa Psychology.
Please note that this session was not recorded.