Helpline, online chat and email support for anyone in the legal community
Helpline: 0800 279 6888
Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm*
Online chat is available Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm whenever you see the red 'Chat Online' button on our website.
*If you can’t call us during these hours, please email our support team and we will do our best to make alternative arrangements for you.
We are here to listen and offer emotional support
We offer free, independent and confidential support through our helpline, live online chat and email service.
Our services are available to anyone in the UK legal sector, including support staff. We support all sectors of the legal profession – solicitors, barristers, advocates, judges, chartered legal executives, chartered trade mark attorneys, patent attorneys, costs lawyers and paralegals, including those in training.
All calls, chats and emails are responded to by trained staff and volunteers who have first-hand experience of working in law. We provide a space to talk through how things are for you, whatever is on your mind. We can signpost you to other support agencies too.
LawCare has been awarded the Helplines Standard - a nationally recognised quality mark from the Helplines Partnership. This confirms that our helpline, online chat, and email service meet high standards, delivering consistent and effective support that meets the needs of the legal community.
"I feel much better for having spoken to you. It has taken a weight off my mind, and just talking things through has reduced my stress."
Get in touch by email
If contacting us by email it helps if you can tell us a bit about your situation, including what jurisdiction you practise in (England and Wales, Scotland, etc), whether you are a solicitor, paralegal, barrister etc, and your gender.
Remember that email is not a secure way to convey confidential information and you may prefer to use another channel or take steps to anonymise your email communication, such as creating a temporary email account or not using a work email address. We endeavour to answer all queries within 48 hours of the working day.
What to expect when you call LawCare’s helpline
We know that making the first call can feel daunting - many people worry about what will happen when they reach out to us. That’s why we’ve created a simple guide to help. It explains how to contact us, what will happen during the call, and what comes next, so you know exactly what to expect.
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What our support service offers
- A chance to talk through your problems. It can really help to get things off your chest. While we can't fix the problem or tell you what to do, just communicating with someone who listens and understands can help to clarify the way forward. And even if a solution doesn’t immediately present itself, simply talking about it can be very cathartic. Many people who contact us say they did not need any follow up support, that a chat with us helped them decide what to do
- Reassurance. We’ve been operating for many years, which means that we’ve heard most things before. Other people have faced and conquered their problems, and we know you can too.
- Information. We can direct you to information about the issue you're facing and how it affects legal professionals.
- Extra support. We can put you in touch with a LawCare peer supporter who has had a similar experience. These are fellow lawyers who have had significant problems and overcome them, including issues such as disciplinary proceedings or alcohol dependence. They offer support to others on a one to one basis.
- Further resources. We have in-depth knowledge of the support provided by legal benevolent associations, professional bodies, regulators and legal special interest groups, and they may be able to help too. We can signpost you to these organisations.
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Confidentiality
Your exchanges with us will remain confidential. We only report statistics and nothing else. You don’t even have to give us your name. You can read our policies on confidentiality, data protection, service standards, and other policies, by clicking here.
If you have more questions about our helpline and webchat services, read our FAQ.
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Feedback
Have you used our support service? Let us know what you thought, how we helped, and what we could improve. Email [email protected]
*If you urgently need to speak to someone outside of our helpline/webchat hours call the Samaritans on 116 123.
The LawCare support service is for those who work in the legal profession and their families, we do not offer legal advice to the general public. If you need legal advice The Law Society of England & Wales, Law Society of Scotland or The Law Society of Northern Ireland can help you identify a solicitor close to where you live. You can also contact the Citizens Advice Bureau, or search for your nearest Legal Advice Centre online.
We're here to listen...without judgement
Contact our free, confidential, emotional support service for the legal sector
0800 279 6888
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