Regardless of firm size, preventing lawyer burnout should take priority

Popular culture and media often portray lawyers and law firms in an atmosphere of long hours, zero work-life balance and high stress. Sadly, this stereotype rings all too true for many lawyers, but preventing lawyer burnout is possible with a culture shift.

Lawyer burnout on the rise

You might think that the age of remote work and hybrid schedules had helped solve some of the burnout issues lawyers face. However, a survey of lawyers showed that burnout and dissatisfaction increased dramatically in late 2021.

For the first time since 2020, lawyers had reported feeling burned out or dissatisfied more than 50 percent of the time. Maintaining this stressed, tapped-out state of being can have devastating consequences. According to Bloomberg, lawyers talked about:

“Disrupted sleep, anxiety, issues in personal relationships, depression, and physical health issues…as well as a higher incidence of drug and alcohol abuse.”

As this writer notes, working in Biglaw can magnify the issue for many lawyers:

“Specifically for Biglaw, the turnover rates are alarming, probably because the career is prone to high stress levels. Long hours are unavoidable, and work can be so unpredictable that it regularly encroaches on your sleep or personal plans. Vacations are rare and hardly guaranteed. The reward for good work is usually even more work. Many firms still have an up-or-out policy, and many enter Biglaw with an understanding that they will not be there for long.”

That part in bold really jumps out for us. It’s the reason many of our members chose to leave Biglaw in the first place. While most of us do find a lot of meaning and purpose in our work, we also have interests and priorities outside of law. Independent law has given many of us the autonomy and flexibility we need to create space for a real personal life.

A new law firm culture

Both independent lawyers and partners in larger firms can help create a culture shift that will go a long way toward preventing lawyer burnout. Creating a culture that emphasizes a human-first approach benefits both the individual and the firm. As Bloomberg notes:

“Data clearly indicate that a perceived worsening of well-being is connected to a host of other issues and challenges that can affect organizations as well as individuals. Given the surge in resignations over the past year, an increased focus on attorney well-being, work-life balance, and mental health may help firms and legal departments retain talent.”

The first step for many firms requires challenging traditional models and the status quo. As this writer points out, the legal industry has notoriously placed a strong emphasis on billable hours:

“Law firms, with their focus on billable hours, have struggled with moving towards a model that values outcomes rather than inputs.”

As law firm leaders begin to shift the focus from time logged to value produced, a more balanced culture can begin to emerge. In addition to that fundamental change, preventing lawyer burnout requires:

  • Recognizing lawyers and staff for their contributions
  • Creating truly flexible work models include not only remote work, but true flexibility
  • Setting an expectation that time off and vacations are necessary; not a luxury
  • Helping your team focus on activities that produce the greatest results
  • Letting go of work and clients that eat up valuable time and energy resources
  • Creating efficiency and easing workloads with strategic technology investment and process improvements
  • Developing a clear vision and focusing on work that aligns with that vision

Even for lawyers who work alone, creating an intentional human-centered culture can help prevent burnout before it begins.

Independent, but not alone

While Biglaw attorneys face more external pressure from partners and peers, independent lawyers often feel the pressure of isolation. As they work to grow a law business and attract a steady stream of new clients, solo lawyers can fall into the trap of overwork.

However, working longer hours in pursuit of landing that next big deal often has an effect counter to the one intended. In fact, a Stanford University study showed that overwork can impede productivity and success:

“After 55 hours, productivity drops so much that putting in more hours would be pointless…those who work up to 70 hours a week are only getting the same amount of work done as those who put in 55 hours.” 

The long and short? Our brains need breaks in order to think creatively, innovate, focus and connect with a sense of flow in our work.

For solo lawyers, isolation can lead to an always-on mindset where we work around the clock. Working in a shared office or coworking space, however, can help independent lawyers regain a greater sense of work-life balance. A dedicated office space allows for a separation between work hours and personal time. In addition, when fellow professionals clock out and leave the office, it creates a positive cue to leave work until tomorrow.

To learn more about creating a law firm with a positive work-life culture, reach out to us. We offer lawyer coworking and shared office space for lawyers in Denver and Las Vegas. We also work with large law firms to help maximize existing office space.