Life in the Law

Key findings:

• High levels of stress and burnout: Participants showed a high risk of burnout, especially due to exhaustion. 69% reported experiencing mental ill-health in the past year, most commonly anxiety, low mood, and depression.
• Stigma remains a barrier: Only 56.5% of those with mental health concerns had spoken about it at work, mainly due to fears of stigma and career impact.
• Workplace factors matter: Lower autonomy, poor psychological safety, and high workloads were all linked to higher burnout - regardless of job role.
• Wellbeing isn’t equal: Burnout risk was higher among younger professionals, women, ethnic minorities, and those with disabilities. These groups also reported lower levels of autonomy and psychological safety at work.
• Bullying and discrimination: 1 in 5 had experienced bullying, harassment, or discrimination—these individuals also reported worse wellbeing overall.
• Self-care helps, but isn’t always enough: Many used exercise, nature, healthy eating, and mindfulness for self-care, but work pressures often made it hard to maintain these habits. More sleep was linked to better wellbeing.
• Support and training matter: Regular catch-ups and appraisals were the most helpful workplace support. However, few managers had received training, even though those who had found it valuable.
• Wellbeing is a shared responsibility: Most participants believed that improving wellbeing should be a collective effort involving individuals, employers, regulators, and professional bodies.
• COVID-19 had mixed effects: While it brought challenges around motivation and boundaries, some found benefits in home working, such as greater flexibility and better work-life balance.

The study highlights the urgent need for cultural change in the legal sector, including better leadership training, more open conversations around mental health, and greater recognition of how different factors - such as age, gender, ethnicity, and disability - intersect to shape wellbeing. Creating a healthier legal sector will require a shared commitment across the profession.