the new law firm environmentalists
Lawyer burnout is a topic I’ve repeatedly covered here from various angles. We all know that this kind of career-fueled depletion is not exclusive to the practice of law. It occurs across a range of professions and industries. But, the hard truth is that lawyer burnout is so pervasive that it’s become the functional equivalent of an environmental hazard – law firms will not be able to sustain themselves if they don’t do something to cap and abate the rampant lawyer depletion in their ranks.
Knowing that this is a subject of great interest to me, my friend and fellow lawyer David Abeshouse directed me to a New York Magazine issue focused on the science of burnout. In an excellent cover story titled Can’t Get No Satisfaction, Jennifer Senior chronicles the evolving study of career burnout, from its roots in the “caring professions” of the 1970s to its affliction of the best and brightest in today’s buttoned-up corporate culture.
One of the most interesting points the article makes is that we’re often told that each of us – as an individual – is responsible for monitoring and dealing with our own burnout. Yet, researchers have found that this push to self-help misses the mark because burnout within a business or organization really “says more about the employer than it does about the employee.” So, it makes sense that new burnout studies are focusing on workplace environmental factors that cause and alleviate this kind of employee depletion.
Interestingly, the piece highlights this factoid concerning the legal profession: “Of the 75 law firms surveyed in New York in The American Lawyer’s recent survey of mid-level associates, the firms ranked No. 1 (Dickstein Shapiro) and No. 3 (Patterson Belknap) had one thing in common: They both received perfect scores on their attitudes toward pro bono work.”
Knowing that this is a subject of great interest to me, my friend and fellow lawyer David Abeshouse directed me to a New York Magazine issue focused on the science of burnout. In an excellent cover story titled Can’t Get No Satisfaction, Jennifer Senior chronicles the evolving study of career burnout, from its roots in the “caring professions” of the 1970s to its affliction of the best and brightest in today’s buttoned-up corporate culture.
One of the most interesting points the article makes is that we’re often told that each of us – as an individual – is responsible for monitoring and dealing with our own burnout. Yet, researchers have found that this push to self-help misses the mark because burnout within a business or organization really “says more about the employer than it does about the employee.” So, it makes sense that new burnout studies are focusing on workplace environmental factors that cause and alleviate this kind of employee depletion.
Interestingly, the piece highlights this factoid concerning the legal profession: “Of the 75 law firms surveyed in New York in The American Lawyer’s recent survey of mid-level associates, the firms ranked No. 1 (Dickstein Shapiro) and No. 3 (Patterson Belknap) had one thing in common: They both received perfect scores on their attitudes toward pro bono work.”
Great article! Thanks for linking to it. I guess the conclusion is that law firms should support pro bono work because pro bono work gives associates a greater sense of purpose. I haven't checked, but I would presume that both of the firms cited in the article "support" pro bono (in part) by giving associates billable hour credit for their pro bono efforts. Not to state the obvious, but any firm that does not give credit is not really "supporting" pro bono work.
I do agree that harmonizing one's obligations to work, community, family, and self are not problems capable of solution through the actions of individuals.
I have found that younger lawyers are afraid to take steps to harmonize their lives and work for fear of negative impact on their career success and advancement in their firms.
Law firm management has to take the lead in facilitating quality of life for lawyers. There have to be changes in law firm culture and work practices that facilitate work/life balance for individuals.
Suffice it to say that resolution of this issue is intertwined with recruitment and retention challenges and client development in an era when clients expect the law firm to mirror the tolerance and diversity of their community. Law firms that encourage diversity and quality of life within the firm will appear more attractive to their potential clientele.
Hi Arnie,
Great post. Although I agree that the workplace environment/demands/success metrics/ all have a role in the burnout of attorneys, I think that the majority of the reason lies in the individual.
I think it stems from the fact that very few people entering the legal profession understand the type of work that is really done on a day-by-day basis. Whether it be the long hours, lack of glorification, etc., it seems like the profession eats up the individuals who don't have all the chips in, or were misguided in choosing the profession.
Secondly, I feel a large reason for the burnout in the legal profession, and the professional services industry as a whole, is lack of organization. Personally and professionally, when systems in your life begin to break down and demand more of your time, the stress level goes up, leading to burnout.
My partner uses a good term for this..."Cascading system failure". In the long work hours of today's professionals, little time is spent investing into proper organization and automation of our daily lives. Once one system begins to fail, it causes the rest to break down. Hence the term above.
What is your take on the burnout?
Grant