Most employers will say people are their most valuable asset–but in a law firm, it’s all too literal. Their business is selling fee-earners’ expertise in exchange for their time.
This means fee-earners are under constant pressure to bill as much time as possible. 1,400 hours a year is considered a modest target, but it amounts to six hours of billable time every workday, which can rapidly mount up when a lawyer is behind on their numbers.
The increased focus on mental health during and post-pandemic has driven law firms to take a closer look at how they treat their fee earners–and the statistics suggest it’s long overdue.
Fee-earner burnout in numbers
A 2021 survey of 1,700 legal professionals by charity LawCare revealed that in the preceding 12 months:
- 69% experienced mental health problems.
- 29% experienced physical symptoms from work-related stress.
- 22% felt unable to cope.
- 6% had suicidal thoughts.
- Only 57% of lawyers who experienced mental ill-health had talked about it at work.
Leaders at top law firms are having to examine working conditions and seriously ask themselves whether they have a problem with overwork and burnout in their organisations.
Just like physical health and safety, mental health at work requires education. Law firms need to educate lawyers on how to maintain their mental health, and managers on how to support those who are struggling. Line managers also have a duty of care to flag up when a mental health professional is needed. All these factors should go into developing a mental wellbeing strategy for the firm.
How can technology help with fee-earner burnout?
Part of the problem with expecting lawyers to bill so many hours is the amount of mundane work that needs doing off the clock. Legal workflow automation software can now handle many of these tasks, freeing lawyers up to do more high-value work. The profession is also becoming more open to AI and machine learning, which will take automation to a new level.
Although progress towards physical and mental wellbeing in the legal profession has not been fast, it is happening. More and more lawyers now have the confidence to speak up about their mental health–and more and more firms are now taking action.