As if long hours, high stakes and intense competition weren’t enough, now lawyers are grappling with client cutbacks, lower pay and layoffs. And it appears some attorneys are cracking under the pressure.
Reports of three suicides at major U.S. law firms during the past six months underscore the stress that lawyers are facing as the economic downturn raises the intensity for billable hours and big wins. Kilpatrick Stockton, Simpson Thacher & Bartlett and King & Spalding have each lost an attorney since December.
