The report, ‘Wellbeing in family law’, published this week by family lawyers group Resolution, includes alarming case studies such as that of a Western Circuit barrister who suffered almost total sleep deprivation for three weeks.
More than half of the 1,200 family practitioners surveyed said they have considered quitting in the past three years because of concerns about their wellbeing. At the time of the survey, 26% were actively considering leaving the profession.
The practitioners reported long working hours and heavy workloads while client expectations and the stress of working in isolation during lockdown have stretched them to the limit. Some 57% of practitioners work more than eight extra hours during the week. Almost all (88%) needed to work during annual leave and 64% of practitioners said they usually or always feel fatigued during the working day.
Of those considering leaving, 45% are junior practitioners, which raises the risk of a generational drain of talent. Junior practitioners have also missed out during the pandemic due to reduced opportunities to learn from more experienced lawyers.
While awareness of wellbeing has grown in recent years, 43% of practitioners still felt uncomfortable talking to their employers about work-related stress and pressures.
Juliet Harvey, national chair of Resolution, said: ‘If firms fail to embrace flexible working and better wellbeing support, I fear we could lose the next generation of family practitioners.’
Elizabeth Rimmer, chief executive at LawCare, which supported the research, said: ‘This report is a catalyst for action to start creating everyday habits in family law that support wellbeing, such as good supervision, training for managers, and creating a positive work-life balance.’
View the report at: resolution.org.uk/mywellbeing.
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