Wellbeing in the legal profession – one year on

The Bar Council has urged both the legal sector as a whole, and other professions, to work together on improving wellbeing and mental health.

Since the Bar Council and the Inns of Court released their Wellbeing at the Bar report a year ago, steps have been taken to ensure the wellbeing of working barristers with the creation of the Wellbeing Working Group, as well as external help.

Following the report which led to the release, the Bar as a whole have set about improving the way they deal with wellbeing and resilience ideals, helping chambers to better support those who need it and boosting good management practices.

Chantal-Aimée Doerries QC, Chairman of the Bar, stated: “Next week is Mental Health Awareness Week. This is an opportune time to reflect on the progress we have made in raising awareness of and in tackling the health issues that some barristers may face, but also the progress we have made in relation to wellbeing more generally in the profession.

“In creating wellbeing initiatives, sharing best practice within the Bar and beyond is important. We are talking to other professions outside the legal sector on wellbeing to see what they are doing, and I believe there is scope for greater working with the wider legal sector too.

Although the high demands at the Bar are well-known, this isn’t an issue limited to the Bar. Many professionals, by the nature of their work, face stresses and strains, which can become difficult to deal with. Getting support to meet those challenges is vital.”

Initiatives set up since the 2015 report include:

• The Young Barristers’ Committee has launched a wellbeing guide on the Young Bar Hub and last summer hosted a YBC wellbeing seminar with the Bar Council
• The Bar Council, Specialist Bar Associations and chambers have extended mentoring programmes
• Middle Temple has launched Mindfulness Drop-in sessions
• Chancery Bar Association has run wellbeing seminars for its members
• The Bar Council has begun discussions with other professional organisations to share wellbeing ideas
• The Bar Council has been in talks with the Bar Standards Board about creating a regulatory environment which is sympathetic to wellbeing. 

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