Lawyers still report burnout, but it’s not as bad as the final months of 2021

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Lawyers still report burnout, but it's not…

Lawyer Wellness Lawyers still report burnout, but it's not as bad as the final months of 2021

By Debra Cassens Weiss

September 22, 2022, 2:52 pm CDT

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Lawyers responding to a Bloomberg Law survey reported feeling burnout an average of 47% of the time in the first half of the year.

The number is down 5 percentage points from the last quarter of 2021, but the improvement is “debatable,” given the high number for the last quarter of 2021, Bloomberg Law reports.

The last quarter of 2021 was the first time average burnout exceeded 50% since the publication began polling on the issue in 2020.

The most recent Attorney Workload and Hours survey received responses from 638 lawyers.

“Regardless of any recent decline, the fact that attorneys have consistently felt burnout at their jobs at least 44% of the time since January 2021 is worrisome,” the Bloomberg Law article concludes. “Worrisome—but not surprising. The legal profession is demanding, and self-care has traditionally been undervalued. Legal employers need to continue to develop and offer well-being programs, and address attorney mental health and substance use disorders.”

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