43. A Legal Assignment Is Just One Person With a Problem Asking Another Person for Help

If there’s one thing we could do to improve the mental health and well-being of the legal profession as a whole, what would it be? The answer, we suggest, is empathy. In other words, to see the profession at a people level and reframe client service around empathy and human values.

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The previous lesson discussed the story of the Pinsent Masons partner who passed away due to complications of an “acute mental crisis.” She was not the first, and unfortunately, likely won’t be the last. After the shock of such a tragedy comes the finger pointing. Some say that clients are the root cause of the mental health crisis in our industry. After all, it is they who are willing to pay such a high price for the service that they can then demand the impossible from those performing it. Some blamed law firm culture, while others took aim only at Pinsents for a host of reasons, including their response.

Some argue that the problem starts with law schools which, they note, turn out our future lawyers with enormous student debt, excellent knowledge of what the law is, but very little ability to practice it. Then along came a hypothesis which says the fault lies with the lawyers’ psyche, in how they value themselves, and treat all-nighters as a badge of honor.

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