LAWCARE: fears of depression, alcoholism, and drug abuse


Firms need to properly support solicitors as increasing work pressures push more lawyers into depression, alcoholism and drug abuse, the chief executive of charity LawCare has told the Gazette.



Speaking after the recent joint LawCare, Solicitors Assistance Scheme and Solicitors Benevolent Association conference in London, Hilary Tilby said the working environment for solicitors had become 'so aggressive' firms must ensure lawyers were 'properly supported and cared for' to avoid addiction and health problems.



She said: 'Interpersonal relations within firms is where it all starts... the pressures on the profession are growing greater every day and morale is getting lower. There is no loyalty between clients and practitioners any more, no-one wants to pay you... it is all about doing things cheaply and not about giving people a good service.



'Firms often have to delegate work to the most economic people in the firm but they don't necessarily have the expertise someone more qualified to do it does - and that is wrong.'



Tilby went on to quote LawCare statistics from 2007 that suggested 80% of lawyers with alcohol problems say they started drinking because of stress, while 26% had used cocaine at least once.



Research by John Hopkins University last year indicated that newly-qualified lawyers were 3.6 times more likely to suffer from depressive illnesses. A 2006 Alcohol Concern survey said the incidence of ?liver disease among lawyers was double the national average.



LawCare's confidential helpline number is 0800 279 6888, or visit www.lawcare.org.uk.



Anita Rice