By Nicole Black
BridgeTower Media Newswires
Statistics from a recent survey by the American Bar Association show that while the practice of law has always been stressful, the pandemic has made things worse.
“Profile of the Profession 2021” — compiles data collected by the ABA from different surveys, most of which were conducted in 2020 and 2021.
One of the most stand-out aspects of this year’s survey was how much the pandemic affected the overall well-being of lawyers.
The data showed the pressures of practicing law, some self-imposed, can take their toll and lead to burnout. For example, 38% of respondents reported they often work long hours, 9% said they “never stop working,” 25% failed to take adequate breaks during the workday, and 32% felt pressure to not take vacation time.
Survey results showed the many stressors experienced by lawyers caused them to: 1) feel anxious about student loan debt (64%); 2) worry about finances in general (65%); 3) feel regretful or guilty (53%); and 4) experience depression or hopelessness (44%).
Judges reported experiencing high levels of stress. According to the report, 23% of judges meet the criteria for “experiencing stress at a level that could be debilitating.”
The pandemic served to increase lawyers’ overall stress levels, with 40% of lawyers surveyed reporting their overall work-related stress levels had increased because of the pandemic.
Only 30% of older lawyers (62 or older) experienced added work stress compared with 49% of younger lawyers. Older lawyers were less worried about how the pandemic would affect their careers, with 4% sharing they were more worried about career advancement than a year ago compared to 23% of younger lawyers. Older attorneys were also less worried about layoffs or furloughs (12%) compared with 30% of younger lawyers.
Lawyers from firms with 250 or more attorneys expressed the most concern about the return to the office; 71% indicating they were worried about safety issues inside an office building. Areas of concern included lack of ventilation and poor security in public spaces. Similar concerns were reported by lawyers from firms with 100 to 249 lawyers, 68% of whom were reluctant to return to the office, as were 75% of lawyers from firms with 50 to 99 lawyers.
Solo and small firm lawyers were less concerned, with only 42% of solo practitioners reporting they were reluctant to return to the office. Only half (54%) of lawyers from small firms with 2 to 9 attorneys shared that same concern.
Older lawyers reported less anxiety than younger counterparts in regard to returning to the office after the pandemic. Only 25% of older lawyers were concerned about inadequate safety protocols in their workplaces upon their return, compared with 38% of younger lawyers.
Finally, only half of older lawyers (52%) said they were concerned about being inside an office, compared to 65% of younger lawyers.
It’s imperative to ensure that lawyers and judges make time for wellness, especially in light of the uncertainties surrounding the pandemic that we continue to face.
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