Lawyers across the United Kingdom have been reacting to World Mental Health Day, with the Law Society and LawCare prominent among them. 

Outgoing Law Society president Nick Emmerson led the reflections from bar associations, in line with the day’s official theme for 2024 "Time to prioritise mental health in the workplace", which underscores the critical importance of mental health in professional settings.

Emmerson, who stood down as president yesterday at the society’s AGM, said: “The legal profession can see many dealing with heavy workloads and a work culture that may stigmatise being open and honest about mental health."

Emmerson noted that the legal wellbeing charity LawCare reported a 24% increase in the number of legal professionals contacting them for support, which he called concerning, saying the profession’s approach to mental health and wellbeing must improve.

“Wellbeing and a healthy workplace must be prioritised by organisations to avoid burnout, stress and exhaustion”, he said, urging law firms to take mental health and wellbeing seriously and, if necessary, changing their business “so colleagues can have a rewarding career and a supportive workplace".

LawCare, which is the Women and Diversity in Law Awards' nominated charity for 2024, noted that it had supported thousands of people in the legal sector who are struggling with stress, anxiety, and burnout, often due to high workloads, long hours, or lack of support. 

Reflecting on 2024’s theme, it said in a LinkedIn post that it was “crucial for workplaces to prioritise mental health - not just because it's the right thing to do, but because a healthy workplace leads to higher productivity, better staff retention, and fewer compliance risks”.

Similar sentiments were expressed by the charity’s CEO, Elizabeth Rimmer while NatWest group legal counsel James MacFarlane, a LawCare champion and chair of the Wellbeing Group for men in the legal profession, agreed saying: “For me, it is as simple as this. Prioritising mental health (especially in the workplace) is just the right thing to do.“

Many law firm partners shared their reflections on mental health issues on social media, with Keoghs partner Marise Gellert offering suggestions to those needing support. Gellert spoke for many in saying: “We all [emphasis supplied] have mental health, some better than others, and it is OK not to be at 100% all of the time. 

“What is not OK is to keep perpetuating the stigma attached to poor mental health, meaning that some feel too embarrassed or afraid to speak out or ask for help.”

Similarly, Foot Anstey’s Annalisa Checchi said on social media: “There’s often an unspoken pressure to appear strong and resilient in our careers, leading many of us to hide our struggles for fear of being perceived as weak. But the truth is, vulnerability is not a sign of weakness; it’s an essential part of being human.

“Let’s create an environment where we can openly share our challenges without stigma or judgment. By fostering compassion and understanding within our workplaces, we not only support ourselves but also those around us who may be silently struggling.”

Meanwhile, the London Solicitors Litigation Association (LSLA) wrote about Mental Health Awareness Day for this title, with chair Nikki Edwards of Howard Kennedy reflecting on the changing attitude to mental health in the profession.