How to Sustain the Unstainable - Coping With a Blizzard of Demands

Richard Reade, General Counsel, Coats Group plc

Despite the long hours and relatively high rates of burn out within the legal profession, there is often still a lack of support for in house lawyers working under extreme pressure. Individuals can feel isolated and unsupported and despite the emergence of mental health programmes, much of the pastoral care seems to exist only after the event. Many countries face high inflation and weak economic growth. Many companies will face tighter profit margins and the inevitable large restructuring projects that follow will place great demands on in house teams. Those teams might already have suffered headcount reduction and remaining lawyers will be expected to absorb the new demands. This paper considers coping strategies that have been used by lawyers, with a particular emphasis on physical and mental health; psychology and management tools. Medical studies on the effects of stress are reviewed in the context of in house legal teams and practical suggestions are given on how effectively lawyers can adapt their working habits and environments to cope with the elevated stress levels.