What can law firms do to protect mental health?

This week is Mental Health Awareness Week (MHAW) – and the legal profession is only too aware of the consequences of poor mental health.  

It’s a profession with a stereotype of demanding hours, huge workloads and high pressure, especially in the highest rankings of the profession, and those just starting out in their careers. The latest impact report from legal mental health charity LawCare lays bare the facts: there was a 16% rise in calls for their services between 2022 and 2023. And, with this year’s MHAW being themed around community, can law firms create a community to help safeguard their employees from mental health crises?  

Traditionally, long hours and high targets were the measure of success or failure in law. People have felt unable to speak out about issues because they felt that they were part and parcel of working in law, and they thought that no one around them was struggling, so they were unable to speak to anyone about it. However, there is now more of an awareness and understanding about how mental health affects those working in the legal sector, and firms have tried to take efforts to address this. Efforts from firms as prominent as international and Legal 500 firms, right the way through to small, high-street boutique firms include a ‘ramp-up, ramp-down' approach (a technique encouraging lawyers to reduce their workload before taking leave, and slowly build it back up again when they return), taskforces to help support workers need mental health support, free mental health counselling, check-in sessions with workers and hiring burnout advisors. All these things can help to improve employees’ mental health and build a sense of community within a firm.  

A UK-based national firm ranked in the top 100 firms is a perfect example of how firms can help support their employees, they have personalised support in place for each staff member, and they help them navigate challenges, access practical resources and connect them to a broader legal community. Indeed, staff members have shared with TodaysConveyancer that they feel fully supported and more able to focus on their clients, knowing that the support is there for when needed. LawCare does, however, acknowledge that not every law firm can offer the same level of personalised support, so it has encouraged firms to be open and talk about the problems they face, rather than bottling things up. Firms are advocating widespread connection, and letting other firms know what you are doing has been shown to help build a wider sense of community. Law firms that take addressing mental health seriously are seen to be more attractive workplaces, as employees look to prioritise their mental and physical health needs.  

So, there are a number of things that firms can, and are, doing to help support their employees regarding their mental health. There are always, however, more things that can be done, and dealing with mental health issues remains an ongoing battle. Law firms need to remain receptive and understanding towards their employees, and listen to them when they are struggling, in order to continue to support those who are struggling.