By Lucy Caulkett-
Aspiring legal practitioners have reported experiencing mental health issues ranging from rare to severe, according to an alliance of City law firms and businesses. Many are afraid of revealing this to prospective employers, an alliance of City law firms and businesses has found.
The survey of graduates conducted by the City Mental Health Alliance (CMHA) revealed that 73% of respondents had experienced a severe or rare mental health problem. The alliance revealed 67% are worried about the stigma associated with mental health, believing that telling their potential employers would hinder their chances of securing a role.
The research was based on polling from 519 graduates and students. Only 40% of respondents said they would feel comfortable discussing mental health issues with their manager. More than 50% of respondents said they would rather cite physical ill health as a reason for absence from work. The survey also found that 84% of law students and graduates are more likely to apply to an employer who is open about their commitment to mental health.
The revelation will surprise many people who perceive lawyers and law students as very capable and bright individuals, which many of them truly are. Law is a very demanding course requiring a level of commitment and dedication that can be very stressful for students. Many law students suffer so much stress that they are hire law tutors to assist them with coursework. Law tutors charge high fees ranging from £80 to £100 an hour, for direction, structure and some information. This often leaves law students who need help under immense pressure to complete coursework they find demanding.
According to the City Mental Health Alliance (CMHA), a survey of graduates revealed that 73% of respondents had experienced a severe or rare mental health problem and 67% are worried about the stigma associated with mental health, believing that telling their potential employers would hinder their chances of securing a role.The research was based on polling from 519 graduates and students.
Only 40% of respondents said they would feel comfortable discussing mental health issues with their manager. More than 50% of respondents said they would rather cite physical ill health as a reason for absence from work. The survey also found that 84% of law students and graduates are more likely to apply to an employer who is open about their commitment to mental health.
Hard Working Law Graduate: Phillip Larson Image: George Mason University
Poppy Jaman, chief executive of the CMHA, has urged employers to be sensitive to the issues faced by fresh law graduates, and help them feel welcome and comfortable in discussing their mental health issues. ‘Our survey highlights that much more needs to be done to prioritise mental health in law firms across the UK, and to foster a culture where employees feel able to talk openly about their mental health issues from day one,’ she added.
Some law tutors in need of work are former graduates who are not yet in full employment. Many of those offer the completion of essays from start to finish, leaving their law customers still lacking the knowledge required, which puts them under pressure for exams which the students must sit on their own.
The Law Society Junior Lawyers Division (JLD) opened its third resilience and well being report aimed at addressing issues of mental health. As a result, respondents are for the first time this year being asked to reveal what specific measures their employer has in place to tackle stress and what they could be doing better.
Note To Readers: There is no suggestion that Philip Larson pictured above suffered from mental health issues .Larson succeeded in his Law degree and proceeded to become the Head of Global partner Google Cloud In San Francesco. We have the permission of Larson and George Mason University to use his picture for this article.