Law firm associates have long suffered from burn-out. However, after a year of rising workloads and the isolation of long-term remote working, they are increasingly unwilling to stay quiet. After all, all-nighters are harder to handle without the camaraderie you get from the office; lack of face-to-face time with colleagues has left juniors without adequate support to boost morale.
Now, with firms beginning to look at a return to the office, it is time to take stock and develop a better understanding of the underlying factors contributing to poor mental health in the post-pandemic legal profession. Increased assignments, billing pressures, client demands and shrinking staffs are translating into more work hours for lawyers than ever before. These factors exacerbate mental health and addiction issues as well as overall lawyer unhappiness and dissatisfaction.
