Huge thanks to our chair Lloyd Rees and panellists Chris McGrath, Laura Malik, Patrick McCann, and Dr Emma Jones.
The discussion was honest, practical, and full of valuable insight into how the sector can move from awareness to real action on mental health and wellbeing. Here are some highlights:
The job is tough
The pressures of legal work are nothing new. High stakes, long hours, and intense competition can make it a difficult environment to thrive in. But while the nature of the job may always be demanding, the culture around it can change.
Policies are a good starting point, but it’s leaders’ everyday behaviour that sets the tone. How they manage their own workload, communicate with their teams, and role model healthy boundaries (such as switching off outside working hours) makes a real difference.
People management pays
Supporting people well isn’t just the right thing to do – it makes good business sense. When leaders invest in their teams, show care, and encourage open conversations, performance and engagement improve.
Every firm has great policies written down somewhere, but it’s the behaviour of leaders that really matters. Juniors emulate what they see.
As Patrick put it, perhaps it’s time to measure not only financial success but also “kindness performance indicators” – small, consistent acts of respect and empathy that build trust and motivation.
Focus on preventing problems
Too often, wellbeing only becomes a focus once problems have already taken hold. The panel agreed that prevention needs to come first.
That means embedding wellbeing into everyday business decisions, management training, and workplace culture – rather than relying on policies or one-off initiatives. Looking after people should be a natural part of how firms operate, not an optional extra.
If you let people reach burnout, you’ll face high turnover, poor wellbeing, and reduced performance. But if you invest in wellbeing early, everyone benefits.
Check what’s working
Wellbeing programmes and policies are only effective if they actually work. Gathering feedback, tracking attendance, and reviewing outcomes helps ensure initiatives make a genuine impact rather than being just a tick-box exercise.
When employees can see their feedback leading to visible change, it helps build trust and shows that wellbeing is taken seriously.
Support for those who work alone
The conversation also highlighted challenges faced by those who work independently, such as barristers and advocates. Without the support structures that come with larger organisations, access to supervision and wellbeing resources can be limited.
The panel agreed that professional bodies, chambers, and networks all have a role to play in creating spaces for peer support, reflection, and guidance.
At the bar, there’s still a code of silence when it comes to wellbeing. There’s no infrastructure, and it’s up to individuals to create their own support. That has to change.
Sector-wide change
Improving wellbeing can’t fall on individuals or firms alone. Regulators and insurers can help by treating psychosocial risks – such as overwork, poor management, or toxic culture – as seriously as any other workplace hazard.
Collaboration across the sector is essential if we’re going to make sustainable change and create healthier, more supportive environments for everyone working in law.
We’ve done the awareness – now it’s about action. If your senior leaders aren’t interested in that, maybe it’s time to change your senior leaders.
Life in the Law 2025 research
We published our new Life in the Law 2025 report on 1 October 2025.
This report highlights the opportunity to build a legal sector that values its people and protects their mental health and wellbeing at work. This is fundamental to the profession’s ability to administer justice and uphold the rule of law.
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