A LAWYER'S GUIDE
In 2015 I wrote 'A Lawyer's Guide'.
Click here to read an interview summarising how the book came about.
The book was formally launched in London in May 2016 during Mental Health Awareness Week.
Check out a review in The Law Society Gazette here
and another in The Journal of The Law Society of Scotland
Check out the print edition and on Kindle.
AND A SHORT OVERVIEW OF THE BOOK:
Stress is an inevitable part of being lawyer.
It can be a positive force – helping us push through long hours or meet tough targets.
But when pressure becomes excessive, it can be damaging to individuals and to firms, leading to mental and physical sickness, lack of morale or a desire to take on additional responsibility, and worse.
The problem is widespread.
According to a recent Law Society survey, 95% of lawyers have some 'negative' stress in their jobs, and 17% say that this is extreme.
Lawyers feel overloaded with work, unappreciated, isolated, and unsupported; many complain of unattainable targets, poor pay, and long hours.
And while many firms say they have programmes in place that are geared towards improving the wellbeing of staff, 66% of lawyers say they would be concerned about reporting feelings of stress to their employer because of the stigma involved. Nobody wishes to be seen as a weak link in the chain of a professional practice.
A solution won’t be found overnight.
The book is designed to encourage lawyers and firms to think more about the question of stress, how to recognise it in others and themselves, and how to take action before it becomes intolerable.
It is written for lawyers everywhere – regardless of location or career level.
Key topics include:
- What is stress – how does it affect us?
- How can we prepare for inevitable stress and be better fitted to cope?
- How can we recognise the signs of unhealthy stress in ourselves and others?
- What are some particular characteristics of lawyers that make them more susceptible to negative stress?
- Mindfulness, mind-mindedness, and emotional intelligence – what they are and how they can help us cope with stressful situations?
- Vicarious trauma – how we can be aware of and manage unavoidable emotional reactions to and/or involvement with clients’ emotions?
- Looking after ourselves and our teams – what can (and can’t) we do to make things better?
The advice is informed by the author’s practical experience as a lawyer and counsellor.
It is underpinned by recent statistical and research evidence, and illustrated by the personal experiences of lawyers whose stories have been anonymised, deconstructed, and re-arranged for confidentiality.
The book also includes tips, exercises and frameworks to help to tackle stress and promote mental wellbeing.
