Former lawyer Vikki Pratley reflects on her experience of burnout and how it changed the way she thinks about high performance. She shares seven things she wishes she had done differently.
Alex, an IP lawyer, shares what it’s like to live and work with Auditory Processing Disorder (APD) and how it affects communication in the legal sector. They also offer simple tips to support colleagues with APD and help create more inclusive workplaces.
Fred originally trained as a solicitor in a corporate law firm only to realise that a career in law was not for him. While he initially felt completely stuck, he learned to reframe his skillset before successfully pivoting into a career in management consulting and then into industry.
After nearly three decades as a partner in a global law firm, Charmian Johnson made the bold decision to step away from the traditional career path and retrain as a somatic trauma-informed coach.
Eric explains how long hours and isolation in his legal career led to burnout, and how reaching out for support helped him to recover and move forward.
Dorothy shares her experience of always trying to prove herself through achievement – at school, in law, and beyond. She opens up about the pressure, burnout, and what it took to start rebuilding a life that wasn’t just about success.
Sonay, a solicitor advocate, masked her ADHD and autism traits for over 30 years – triggering anxiety, depression, and burnout.
Her diagnosis has helped her understand herself and ask for support at work.
“I became terrified that I’d screw up and get fired, leaving my family without support. I worked insanely long hours, brought work home every evening and routinely worked through the weekend. Even so, I would normally wake up at 3 am sweating at the prospect of having to go into work the next day.”
Sam, a solicitor, describes his struggle with anorexia and other eating disorder behaviours – how they nearly took over his life – and how, after getting help and building healthier habits, he’s in recovery and learning tools to manage each day.
A trainee solicitor describes being pushed to breaking point in a toxic law firm: constant abuse, zero supervision, 1 am emails, panic attacks, and feeling worthless.
Julie’s story of being exhausted from years of poor sleep despite liking her job and having a stable life. She turned to LawCare for help, saw her GP, realised her symptoms were signs of depression, and eventually resolved her insomnia and its related struggles.
Nicki Eyre’s Stop Hurt at Work campaign is pushing for workplace bullying to be legally recognised in the UK. It has led to the proposed Bullying and Respect at Work Bill.