Due to skill shortages and increasing client demands, law firms across the UK are struggling with unmanageable workloads and long working hours. Data shows that lawyers bear the brunt of these working conditions, with more than 6 out of 10 (62%) experiencing chronic stress and burnout in 2023.
Moreover, a survey among legal professionals found a decline in the number of associates aspiring to be partners at their law firms. Due to the culture of overworking and burnout, only a quarter of legal associates pursue promotions, while 12% plan to leave private practice altogether.
Considering burnout can hinder performance and affect employee health and well-being, law firms are responsible for exploring solutions that can improve employee productivity, engagement, and overall job satisfaction.
A previous report notes that bumper pay rises can be one of these strategies, as they boost employee morale and reduce the risk of turnover. As junior members of in-house teams enjoy a 19% pay rise, they are expected to be better equipped to handle the complex workloads and client needs across law firms.
However, mitigating lawyer burnout doesn’t begin and end with improved financial compensation. By leveraging digital transformation and using cutting-edge legal technologies it can help improve employee well-being and work-life balance, as explained further below.
Digital Tools to Help Balance Workloads
As previously discussed, the ongoing skills gap in the legal profession can force lawyers, especially young associates, to take on a higher number of caseloads and thus work longer hours. However, law firms can enlist the help of technology to manage staffing issues and provide more manageable workloads for all associates and partners.
For instance, global law firm Reed Smith introduced a resource management tool that uses artificial intelligence to match lawyers with cases that they are interested in and best suited for. Specifically, the Smart Resourcing platform allows employees to input their skills, experience, expertise, and knowledge.
The tool then utilises an AI-based predictive model to assign tasks that partners and associates can handle based on their skill set and bandwidth. Ultimately, adopting this digital platform cultivates better relationships between lawyers and clients for greater engagement, productivity, and satisfaction.
Saving Time and Energy through AI
Widespread burnout in the legal profession has also been attributed to low-level, repetitive tasks that otherwise consume time and energy. However, it’s worth noting that AI can also be integrated into legal practice to automate tedious administrative work and minimise the need for human labour.
Editing legal documents can be time-consuming, so the AI proofreading software Definely Proof was developed to automate proofreading checks within seconds and move away from the more error-prone manual processes. The tool can also conduct spellchecks, detect definition issues of legal terms, and standardise formatting across documents to further reduce administrative burdens.
Addressing such bottlenecks improves the accuracy of legal work and allows lawyers to allocate their time and energy to more complex and meaningful tasks.
Promoting Hybrid and Remote Work Arrangements
A survey conducted by the Thomson Reuters Institute reveals a strong desire for flexibility among associates, with 45% considering flexible work practices as a top driver of job satisfaction. As such, law firms must emphasise hybrid and remote work opportunities to provide employees with greater control over their working hours, thus preventing overwork and burnout.
In this case, digital transformation plays another crucial role in ensuring productivity and efficiency even when associates and partners are not in the office. To illustrate, collaborative solutions like Google Suite enable lawyers to access and organise case files remotely, while video conferencing platforms like Zoom facilitate efficient communication with clients and partners.
Overall, the high risk and prevalence of burnout in the legal profession can be addressed through digital technologies like AI and remote working tools. UK-based law firms are incentivised to adopt such technologies to revolutionise legal practice and reap the benefits from employee health and well-being improving.
