Shock news this week that lawyers are the happiest white-collar work force in the UK. According to the 'Happiness at Work Index' created by recruiters Badenoch & Clark, nearly three-quarters (69%) of lawyers say they are very happy in their jobs. This was enough to beat off the misery guts in other office-based jobs such as finance, sales, marketing, human resources, IT and telecoms.


Other findings which will rock the profession to its core include news that lawyers have the most friends at work, with 13% saying they consider ten or more colleagues to be friends. Some 63% say up to five colleagues are friends for life. All together, aaaaah. Lest anyone suggest this is because solicitors are working so hard they don't have time to make friends outside the office, the research 'dispels the myth that lawyers work the longest hours' - people in sales and marketing, IT and telecoms, and HR are more likely to be expected to get in early and work late.



According to the research, the average profile of the UK's unhappiest office workers is a 'male IT and telecoms specialist with a male boss, living in Manchester, working at the same company for more than ten years'. By contrast, the happiest workers are said to be 'female Gemini lawyers, living in Bristol, working for a female boss at a firm or in-house for less than five years, commuting each day by car and only required to wear casual business attire'. To say this narrows it down is the understatement of the year. So who fits the bill? Answers to gazette-editorial@lawsociety.org.uk.