Lawyer Monthly - August 2021 Edition

22 WWW.LAWYER-MONTHLY.COM | AUG 2021 IT’S TIME TO END BURNOUT CULTURE IN THE LEGAL INDUSTRY Law has long been, and still is, known as the burnout profession, an association unbecoming of what is widely considered a most prestigious profession. Sure, law firms do what they can to look after the wellbeing of their employees, but the hard truth is that burnout is still incredibly pervasive. Why? Because meaningful steps to change burnout culture into a true wellbeing culture have not been a priority for most firms. Many might even say they are not in the business of personal and professional life optimisation – that is traditionally the sole responsibility of the individual. We know that what happens within offices and behind desks remains heavily influenced by what peers do, and thus, this culture of ‘bite the bullet, burn out or die out’ wins out. Stress at All Levels Trainees, associates and partners all work extremely hard and face pressures unique to their positions. Partners are under pressure to keep clients happy and ensure the firm delivers on key performance metrics. Associates are up to their necks in workload, with the added pressure of trying to make partner. And trainees, while being slightly terrified, want to impress everyone. They want to get the best seat, be an excellent liaison within the firm and please their associates, all the while making sure that partners can see all the heavy lifting they are doing. The work cannot be underestimated and is an enormous amount of pressure. As trainees progress through the hierarchy, the cumulative chronic stress becomes greater. The longer you are exposed, the more likely you are to succumb to the negative aspects. The Lead-in to Burnout Working ‘hard’ and pushing yourself beyond even your maximum limit is still perceived as a status symbol. The race to clock in the most billable hours as a sign of stellar performance is real. The stakes are high and the rewards are huge: the social prestige, working with industry-leading clients, the financial incentives and glorious paychecks, and the sense of belonging to an intellectual elite. These are things that many people, myself included at one time, would be willing to sacrifice a lot for. It is this tunnel-vision approach that means many lawyers are blind to the signs of burnout and cannot or do not want to take proactive measures to mitigate against chronic stress. Instead, they mask the warning signs and opt for a quick fix, i.e. another coffee or another late night in order to power through. After all, that is what everyone else seems to be doing, so it is It’s Time to End Burnout Culture in the Legal Industry Law: The Burnout Profession Charlène Gisèle Connnect with Charlène: Email: coach@charlenegisele.com www.charlenegisele.com Charlène Gisèle Charlène Gisèle is a health coach and consultant dubbed the “Soulicitor” by her clients. A former London lawyer, Charlène coaches her clients on personal and professional life optimization through a combination of diet, exercise and lifestyle shifts. Law has long been, and still is, known as the burnout profession, an association unbecoming of what is widely considered a most prestigious profession.