A charity that provides support to solicitors has identified high levels of stress among the profession.

Telephone helpline LawCare recorded the second busiest year in its 13-year history.

The advice line opened 517 new case files in 2010, down from the record number of 549 opened in 2009. However, staff found that many of the calls they dealt with in 2010 were ‘more lengthy and complex’ than in previous years, and required ‘more time-consuming following up’.

Of the calls received in 2010, 74% related to stress. The most commonly cited causes of stress were disciplinary proceedings against the caller or someone close to them (20%), financial problems (20%), bullying (17%), redundancy (16%), ethical issues (13%), relationship problems (generally non-work related) (11%) and bereavement (3%).

The number of calls relating to redundancy and business failure caused by the economic downturn fell in 2010. Such problems accounted for 26% of calls in 2009, but dropped to 18% last year.

LawCare said 12% calls were from lawyers who were identified as suffering from clinical depression, while 7% reported difficulties with addiction to alcohol. Only three calls related to the use of illegal drugs.

LawCare began in 1997 and opened 60 cases in its first year.

The LawCare helpline number is 0800 279 6888. The Law Society’s pastoral care helpline is 020 7320 5795.