LawCare report reveals "huge leap" in number of legal professionals with career concerns

LawCare, the mental wellbeing charity for the legal profession, has released new support statistics which demonstrate a significant increase in legal professionals with career concerns.

The impact report shows that nearly a quarter (22%) of people contacting LawCare for support were primarily concerned about their career in the law.

The charity noted this was a “dramatic increase” from just over 8% in 2021.

Furthermore, the report revealed that for the first time, the number of people with career concerns equalled the number of legal professionals seeking help due to stress (also 22%).

7.5% of callers mentioned that they were experiencing a lack of supervision as well as the primary problem about which they called, the report revealed.

The report found that most of the people getting in touch for support were at the beginning of their careers.

The data showed that during 2022, 60% of the people who contacted LawCare staff for support and told them how long they had been qualified were trainees / pupils who had been qualified less than 5 years.

The charity noted that this figure was similar to last year, suggesting that "junior legal professionals are still not getting the emotional support they need in their workplace."

LawCare also saw a 3% increase in the percentage of contacts from men, which reflected the impact of LawCare’s report and work during 2022 to encourage more men in law to seek support for their mental health, the report said.

LawCare’s support service was contacted 849 times for support in 2022 (an increase of 18 from 2021). The charity spent 250 hours talking to callers on the phone.

Elizabeth Rimmer, Chief Executive of LawCare said: “The number of people who contacted us with career concerns now equals the number of people getting in touch about stress. This willingness to question their life in the law may be partly a response to the pandemic: legal professionals could be reflecting on what they want from life and work and be less willing to stay in careers or workplaces that don’t meet their needs and expectations and could be undermining their mental health.

“There were a wide range of career concerns raised, from struggles with training to becoming a lawyer to wanting to retire early. We are also hearing from people who don’t see law as a lifelong career. We anticipate that in 2023 the number of people contacting us with career concerns may grow as the tough economic climate takes its toll.”

LawCare offers free, confidential, emotional support, peer support, and resources to those working in the law in the UK, Channel Islands and Isle of Man. It promotes mental health and wellbeing best practice in legal workplaces and drive culture change in education, training and practice.

Lottie Winson