Living in pandemic mode has been tough on everyone. Many people had to deal with some sort of difficulty, be it financial, physical, or mental health issues – and state-wide lockdowns only added fuel to the fire. Believe it or not, lawyers were no exception either. According to the family law group Resolution, one in four family lawyers has contemplated leaving their career during the pandemic.
Let Us Break Down the Report For You
Around 1,200 family lawyers participated in a survey, the report of which is scheduled to be published in the upcoming weeks during the Resolution’s National Conference. It revealed that because of factors such as long working hours, client expectations, heavy workload, and work isolation, these family practitioners considered leaving their careers.
The report resulted in the numbers adding up to 51% of practitioners who have considered leaving their jobs over the course of the past 3 years, while 26% are currently in the midst of considering leaving their profession.
What Led to This Growing Mindset?
It was discovered that around 57% of the family law practitioners spend more than 8 extra hours working during the weekend- apart from working every weekday. Around 88% of the family law lawyers had work even while they had their annual leaves.
Lastly, the survey also discovered that 64% of the practitioners suffer from intense fatigue during their working days. You know what they say, all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy.
How Does This Threaten the Field of Family Law?
Another shocking discovery that came from this survey was that the 45% of practitioners that contemplate leaving their careers are usually junior practitioners. This indicates the underlying threat of ‘brain drain’ for the younger generation working in this field, which may result in them leaving the sector altogether.
Junior practitioners are facing a tough time when it comes to practicing since the world initiated remote work protocol. This resulted in professional development being affected as junior practitioners aren’t able to receive a traditional learning opportunity.
What Can be Done?
Firms and organizations must focus on bringing awareness regarding mental and physical well-being.
The survey also gave a statistic that states that 43% of practitioners have a tough time when it comes to talking to their employees or colleagues about work-related stress and the pressure that comes with it.
In order to fix an issue, one should be able to actively recognize it. With the help of this report and the grimly figures that it displays, educators, senior practitioners, and organizations must come together to find a solution to this problem.