By Neil Rose


A growing number of women solicitors are turning to the bottle to cope with stress problems, the Gazette learned this week.



Statistics from charity LawCare show that women lawyers are now making as many alcohol-related calls to its helpline as men. Historically, men have made two-thirds of such calls, but 50% now come from women.



LawCare chief executive Hilary Tilby said that as women have gained equality in the legal workplace, they are also sharing the 'hard-drinking attitude' seen in some quarters of the profession. 'Maybe their habits are catching up with the men too,' she said.



Ms Tilby revealed that 80% of lawyers with alcohol problems said they turned to drink to cope with stress at work. 'So it's not surprising if women turn to the same means to deal with that stress.'



She advised lawyers to be conscious of how much they drink and, crucially, why they are drinking - it is one thing to have some wine to unwind over dinner, but another to do so because it is the only way to get to sleep, she said.



Some 15% of all cases LawCare dealt with in 2007 related to addiction problems. Only four related to illegal drugs, but the charity said solicitors are unwilling to seek help for an illegal habit.



Stress and depression were the main causes of the 301 case files LawCare opened in 2007. Female assistant solicitors were the single largest group using the service, followed by their male counterparts.



Bullying-related calls - three-quarters of which were made by women - fell from 8% of all cases in 2006 to 6% last year.



- LawCare's confidential helpline is 0800 279 6888. See also www.lawcare.org.uk.