Some 64% said they were in a good mood at the time of responding to the Bar Council’s ‘Wellbeing at the Bar’ report for 2025 (up from 60% in the previous survey, in 2023).
Fewer barristers (29%) said they tend to feel down or in low spirits, compared to the previous survey (35%).
More than half (56%) of those responding said they manage their workloads well, although the reverse was true for 27%. Some 69% have good job satisfaction (up from 61%) while three quarters feel they have supportive colleagues and supportive work environments (up 3%).
The Bar Council has made recommendations in response to the survey, including expanding access to therapy and counselling, promoting mentoring and peer support networks, and encouraging chambers to support work-life balance initiatives.
Barbara Mills KC, chair of the Bar Council, welcomed the improvement but added: ‘There is still a lot of work to do. In all practice areas, barristers face unrelenting pressures and high expectations.’
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