Writing in NLJ this week, Annmarie Carvalho, founder, CEO & director of training at TCC, argues that chronic stress in law is not simply about long hours but the cumulative weight of ‘intellectual’, ‘commercial’, ‘regulatory’ and emotional pressures. Lawyers, she says, are trapped in an ‘always on’ culture fuelled by technology, perfectionism and the fear of mistakes, with many unable ever to truly switch off.
Carvalho warns that burnout affects not only wellbeing but judgement, collaboration and firm performance, increasing the risk of mistakes and disengagement. While initiatives such as the Mindful Business Charter and LawCare are shifting the conversation, she says the profession still equates endurance with excellence.
The answer is not making lawyers ‘tougher’, Carvalho concludes, but creating workplaces that support ‘human feelings, resilience and recovery’.
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