10 Jul Our Proactive Approach to Mental Health at HRJ Foreman Laws
Nick Davies, partner and commercial property solicitor
For legal professionals, maintaining mental health represents a serious and ongoing challenge. Whilst their work is often intellectually stimulating, the industry is fast-paced, workloads are significant, and there’s an extremely small margin for error – with even small mistakes potentially compromising entire cases or negotiations.
At HRJ Foreman Laws, we’re dedicated to acknowledging and addressing this problem, as a commitment and a promise to both our team and our clients. Here’s an overview of the challenges the industry is facing and how we’re proactively addressing them…
The mental health crisis facing legal professionals today
How do we know that the legal industry faces a mental health crisis? The numbers prove it. A recent study, “Legal Trends for Mid-Sized Law Firms Report 2024”, highlighted how legal professionals are feeling as a consequence of their working environment…
- 83% reported regularly feeling stressed.
- 71% stated that they experience anxiety.
- 28% acknowledged that they’ve felt depressed.
- 15% stated that they work more than 60 hours a week.
These figures are as shocking as they are unacceptable, and correlate with some of my personal experiences, having worked in the industry for over 20 years.
Key causes of burnout in the legal profession
Clearly, lawyers and solicitors are facing a serious mental health crisis within their industry. But understanding why the issue is so prevalent is the first step in solving it.
Billable hours – Most law firms have strict and uncompromising billable hour targets. This often leaves little room for self-care.
Competition – The legal industry can be fiercely competitive, creating the impression that even a slightly reduced output can have significant professional repercussions.
Work-life balance – All lawyers and solicitors face significant challenges in keeping their professional and personal lives separate thanks to what are often high workloads.
Client expectations – The clients lawyers serve are regularly facing life-altering circumstances, this leads to the expectation that representatives will always be professionally and emotionally available.
Evolving landscape – The legal landscape is constantly changing, requiring legal professionals to be aware of the precise details of a complex maze of legal and legislative considerations.
No room for error – Even the slightest error or mistake can compromise an entire case, leading to significant pressure – especially when dealing with already tight deadlines.
When combined, all these working realities can create the perfect storm that, if left unchecked, can seriously compromise mental well-being. More generally, it drives newcomers away from the profession, makes it hard to retain partners, and negatively affects what’s delivered for clients.
How HRJ Foreman Laws supports solicitors’ mental health
Our approach to mental health starts with acknowledging the problem. The industry is in the grip of a mental health crisis, and it’s affecting all stakeholders; both legal professionals and their clients alike.
That’s why we’re taking proactive measures to ensure that our partners have the work-life balance that they deserve. Because when they do, they’re happier, motivated, and productive – delivering the best outcomes for each client, each and every time.
Here’s what we’re doing…
Accepting the Challenge: We acknowledge the problem. It sounds self-explanatory, but the industry is still coming to grips with the challenges it’s facing. By openly acknowledging the issue, and talking about it openly, we can overcome stigma.
Leading by Example: Leaders and decision-makers are expected to lead by example, being approachable and supportive of their colleagues. We believe that our working culture is, in part, shaped by our leadership style.
Collective Responsibility: There’s no tolerance for blame culture. Our partners support one another and seek to overcome challenges together, taking collective responsibility and accountability.
Breathing Space: All of our partners are actively expected to take breaks, walks, and dedicated thinking time. These are non-negotiables as a part of their working days.
Taken by themselves, these measures may seem small. But when combined, they contribute towards creating a more open and accepting working environment, where partners can confidently discuss and share their personal challenges. They also help to eliminate burnout, and empower partners to take pride in their work and the outcomes they deliver.
Championing mental health, leading in law
Our commitment to the mental well-being of our partners has become a fundamental part of our working culture. For our clients, it serves as a guarantee of our forward-looking and ethical practices. Crucially, it plays a key role in the quality of the services we provide.
We’ve been in operation since 1591. That’s a testament to the expertise and knowledge we’ve accumulated, passed on, and inherited as a law firm. We’re always seeking to innovate and improve. By doing everything we can to tackle the mental health crisis, we’re positioning our partners to excel in the work they deliver. That, in part, is why our clients can always expect legal advice and outcomes that they can trust and rely on.
Contact us today to speak to a solicitor who’s supported, focused, and fully committed to achieving the best outcome for you.
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