Pursuing a career in the legal profession has never been a soft option for those seeking a less stressful working environment. However, over recent years the profession has become ever more challenging.
Technological advances and the commoditisation of many legal services, coupled with clients wanting a 24-hour service without paying exponentially more for it, have made the legal services industry even more competitive, rendering the already stressful life of a lawyer yet more difficult. In 2014, 96% of 1,517 solicitors surveyed by the Law Society reported of negative stress in their job.
Given the nature of the work and the responsibilities inherent in the job, a high level of day-to-day stress is to be expected and is what many lawyers thrive on. However, a trend which accompanies the growing challenges in the profession is the rising number of lawyers who are themselves becoming clients, finding that stress at work is tipping them over into illness. Depression, anxiety disorders, chronic fatigue syndrome and heart conditions are commonplace.