Workplace Stress is a Growing Concern for Midsize Law Firms

Reviewing the Australian Midsize Law Firm Priorities Report 2024, it’s clear that stress is a strong inhibiting factor for employees. Workplace stress remains a critical challenge for midsize Australian law firms, with 41% of professionals reporting high or extremely high stress levels. Legal staff face the brunt, with 46% experiencing high stress compared to 21% of administrative support​.

Key contributors include:

1. Client Pressure: 67% of legal staff cite demand or pressure from clients as their main stressor.
2. Long Hours: 48% of legal staff work extended hours, leading to burnout.
3. Understaffing: Both legal and administrative professionals agree that a lack of resources worsens stress​.

Why does this matter? High stress correlates directly with attrition—stressed legal professionals are 2.3 times more likely to leave within the next 12 months. Retaining talent in this environment becomes increasingly difficult without systemic changes​.

Firms can take practical steps to alleviate stress:

• Implement Flexible Work Arrangements: The report shows that flexible work reduces stress for 26% of professionals. Legal staff with complete flexibility are 2.3x more likely to report lower stress levels​.
• Enhance Resource Allocation: Addressing understaffed teams and fixing this by recruiting talent or leveraging automation tools can help balance workloads.
• Provide Structured Processes: Establishing clear workflows and documented client service standards reduces uncertainty, a significant stressor for administrative teams.

Workplace stress isn’t just an employee problem—it’s a business problem. Addressing these concerns can help midsize law firms improve retention, productivity, and overall workplace satisfaction.

The Australian Midsize Law Firm Priorities Report 2024 insights come from a survey of over 200 law firm professionals working in legal and administrative roles at midsize Australian law firms. This report provides a glimpse into what midsize law firms in Australia are currently prioritising. The hard data we’ve gathered offers unique insights into the daily lives and experiences of professionals who work at these firms.