Special Report

‘Overachievers getting kicks from pressure’: What can law firms do to protect staff

Lawyers have complained of a toxic culture inside Ireland’s legal profession but many firms are making moves to reduce stress and protect mental health

Lawyers told the Business Post of working in an environment where placing their jobs above everything else was encouraged and anything less than unwavering loyalty was seen as a sign of weakness

Over the past two weeks, Irish lawyers have been speaking out about the toxic culture in the profession and the damage to their mental health caused by long hours, deadline pressures and high-stress working environment.

The details legal professionals have been sharing with the Business Post were prompted by the death of a British legal partner who had an ‘acute mental health crisis’ after working 18-hour days.

The case has caused something of a reckoning ...