Be part of Life in the Law 2025 !
This post has been kindly provided for us by Trish McLellan and Niamh Warnock of the mental health charity LawCare. They tell us about a major survey that the charity is running, and ask for your support. Please complete the survey if you can: the results will be of value not only to LawCare, but also to IP Inclusive and to the wider IP and legal communities.
Trish and Niamh write:
The legal sector is known for its high-pressure environment, long hours and demanding workloads, all of which can take a toll on mental health and wellbeing. LawCare has recently launched Life in the Law 2025 to find out more about current issues:
- Complete the Life in the Law 2025 survey for individuals
- Complete the Life in the Law 2025 survey for organisations
In 2021, LawCare’s first Life in the Law survey provided ground-breaking insight into these issues. More than 1,700 legal professionals shared their experiences, exposing widespread burnout, stress and stigma. While the findings prompted important conversations and called for meaningful change, we know that significant issues remain.
Individual characteristics
Data from the 2021 study suggested that some groups were more adversely impacted than others, demonstrating that individual characteristics influence the mental health of those working in the legal sector, with certain groups seeming particularly vulnerable to burnout, a state of mental and emotional exhaustion.
Several groups were at higher risk of burnout. These included female professionals, younger professionals aged between 26 and 35, those from minority ethnic groups, disabled professionals, and individuals subjected to bullying, harassment and discrimination at work. Overall, higher levels of burnout in these groups coincided with these individuals experiencing lower levels of autonomy and psychological safety at work, suggesting a focus on these factors may help organisations to improve the mental health and wellbeing of these higher risk individuals.
The data illustrated that multiple factors shape the experience of wellbeing: female participants averaged higher in burnout compared to their male counterparts and reported having lower autonomy and lower psychological safety at work. Participants who identified as belonging to an ethnic minority group reported higher levels of burnout compared to white participants. Ethnic minorities also displayed lower average scores in terms of autonomy and psychological safety at work. Those with a disability reported higher levels of burnout compared to respondents who did not report a disability.
Since the publication of Life in the Law 2021 there has been greater focus in the sector on equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI). With Life in the Law 2025, we have the opportunity to reassess where we are, evaluate any progress and uncover what still needs to be addressed.
The findings of Life in the Law 2021 demonstrate that there is no “one size fits all” solution to the issues which exist around mental health in the sector; it almost certainly requires different strategies for different groups of people.
It is also important to remember that no individual or group can simply be defined by one single characteristic. Instead, there are likely to be numerous intersectionalities between individual characteristics and the experiences of different groups, demonstrating the importance of ensuring all voices are heard and understood.
Why take part?
Some might ask why further surveys are necessary, especially when the issues seem well known. The answer is simple: we need up to date data to measure progress and understand whether the sector is moving in the right direction. Your voice ensures that the current realities of working in law are heard and that the changes needed to better support mental health and wellbeing are based on lived experiences. By taking part, you’re contributing to improving working practices in the law for you, your peers and future generations of legal professionals.
Help shape the future of the legal sector
The results from this research will go beyond simply identifying problems – they will help shape the future of work in the legal sector by providing evidence-based recommendations for how individuals and organisations can drive meaningful change.
Elizabeth Rimmer, CEO of LawCare, says:
“Life in the Law 2025 is a real opportunity to improve mental health in the legal sector. These surveys are open to everyone working in law, including IP, and they’ll help us understand why people in our sector may be experiencing poor mental health and what practical steps organisations and individuals can take to prevent this. By sharing your experiences, you’re contributing to building a more supportive and healthier working environment for the future. Together, we can make a real difference.”
Andrea Brewster, Lead Executive Officer of IP Inclusive and a LawCare Champion, adds:
“This is such important work for our sector. Data regarding the intersections between diversity, inclusivity, workplace culture and wellbeing will be particularly valuable to IP Inclusive, and will help shape the work of our six communities that exist specially to support more vulnerable groups. We urge all IP professionals to take part in the survey to enhance the range of perspectives it gathers. And on a personal level, I look forward to working with LawCare – as I have done for many years now – to address the challenges that respondents tell us matter to them.”
The surveys include, among others, topics such as work pressure, burnout and how you feel about your future in the sector. The findings will be released in October 2025. They will provide a platform for understanding how collectively we tackle systemic factors in law that can undermine mental health and wellbeing, and provide practical recommendations as to how we can address these to achieve positive change.
Who should take part?
We’re inviting everyone in the legal sector – both individuals and organisations – to take part. There are two surveys:
- For individuals:Â This survey is open to anyone working in any capacity in the legal sector, including solicitors, barristers, patent and trade mark attorneys, paralegals and support staff.
- For legal organisations: This survey is for workplaces such as law firms, chambers and in-house legal departments, to find out more about mental health initiatives, policies and practices and their impact on wellbeing. It’s aimed at those responsible for people management or wellbeing.
The surveys are anonymous, take around 10 to 15 minutes to complete, and are open to people in the UK, Jersey, Guernsey and the Isle of Man.
Â
Take part now!
Both surveys are available until Friday 21 March 2025, and are entirely confidential. Your responses will remain anonymous, ensuring you can share your experiences openly and honestly.
- Complete the Life in the Law 2025 survey for individuals
- Complete the Life in the Law 2025 survey for organisations
In just 10 to 15 minutes, you can help shape the future of mental health and wellbeing in the legal sector. These surveys provide a chance to make your voice heard and drive meaningful change. Let’s build on the momentum of the 2021 research and work towards a sector that prioritises mental health and wellbeing for all.
Page published on 19th February 2025
Page last modified on