Welcome to your July wellbeing spotlight

Each month we’ll put a spotlight on wellbeing news, thoughts, events and support from across the Bar and further afield:

Spotlight

Who is looking after the family lawyers, 9^th World Congress on Family Law and Children’s Rights

This week chair of the Bar Council Barbara Mills KC spoke on why she thinks it’s crucial that wellbeing becomes a non-negotiable pillar of practice.

Her presentation also focused on explaining factors of vicarious trauma, identifying the personal and professional risks of burnout and sharing the steps the Bar Council is taking to improve the quality of barristers’ lives.

A blog on her thoughts will be shared after the event.

News

90% of pupils have positive experience but stress levels and doubt about future at the Bar increasing, new survey finds

The vast majority of new barristers report a positive pupillage experience. When asked about what affected their wellbeing, pupils said excessive, last-minute workloads, poor scheduling and the lack of a work-life balance.

Chair of the Bar Barbara Mills KC said: “That is why this year – to support good mental health and wellbeing – we are piloting and promoting the benefits of reflective practice for barristers with Balint Legal.

“Alongside this, we are working with the Inns of Court to develop more practical support for pupils and new practitioners which we hope will be in place next year.”

Mental health and the law: Coping strategies

Find out how legal professionals see the current mental health crisis manifest in employment tribunals and how they themselves see mental health being dealt within the profession, in this feature from the Law Gazette.

Thoughts

• “What I would like to see in the legal professions is wellbeing being treated as a core skill which is incorporated into the fabric of practice – proactively – and not as a way to manage a crisis.” Catch up with Barbara Mills KC in the June edition of CitySolicitor Magazine as she talks about the wellbeing culture shift she wants to see across the Bar

• Criminal barrister Beverley Cripps talks about how weekly reflections and coaching has helped her career. Read in the latest edition of Counsel Magazine

• The legal system in the southern hemisphere will be the first to see in the inaugural International Day for Judicial Wellbeing on Friday. Hear from Justice Rangajeeva Wimalasena, President of the Court of Appeal in Nauru and one of the key figures in this global milestone for judicial wellbeing, in the Australian Law Society Journal

Events

Let’s talk about your career – Thursday 11 September

Feeling the pressure? Want to find a different legal career path? Learn support skills?

Join LawCare’s free webinar to hear how people across the legal sector are finding new ways to build successful careers and learning skills to support themselves and others.

Sign up for the lunchtime webinar on LawCare’s website

Tackling harassment, bullying and inappropriate behaviours – Tuesday 11 November

We know that people who are targets of bullying and harassing behaviours have lower wellbeing.

Join our training course to discuss techniques to tackle harassment and bullying and support colleagues, and to get advice and guidance on support available for victims and witnesses.

Book your place on the Bar Council website

Support 

• GP access for you and your family – DoctorLine
• Burnout: signs, causes and ways to recover | Mental Health Foundation
• Reverse mentoring toolkit | LawCare
• Supporting barristers through difficult times, financially or ill health The Barristers’ Benevolent Association

Got a wellbeing event coming up? Want to share your story? Contact us