Toward a Sustainable and Healthy Legal Profession: A Call for Cultural Shift
By: Abarna Kamalakumaran
In recent years, increasing attention has been paid to the well-being of legal professionals in Canada. The Phase One Report of the National Wellness Study of Legal Professionals—a collaborative initiative led by the University of Sherbrooke, the Law Society of Ontario, and the Federation of Law Societies of Canada—offers a timely and necessary evaluation of the mental health challenges facing the profession.
The findings are clear: the current structure and culture of legal practice in Canada are contributing to widespread burnout, psychological distress, and poor health outcomes. While these realities affect all practitioners, younger professionals, including those from Gen Z, appear particularly impacted. This is not a generational flaw—it is a reflection of the conditions we are entering into.
Notably, the study identifies an emerging generational difference in how stress and coping are approached. While previous generations may have normalized emotional suppression and “pushing through,” many younger professionals are placing greater value on emotional intelligence, mental health awareness, and boundary-setting. These are not signs of resistance or fragility. They are evidence of a shifting professional culture—one that recognizes sustainability as an ethical imperative, not a luxury.
This post draws on findings from the National Wellness Study, a project led by the Université de Sherbrooke in partnership with the Federation of Law Societies of Canada and the Canadian Bar Association, with support from the law societies of Canada and the Chambre des notaires du Québec. The first phase was funded by the Federation of Law Societies of Canada and the Canadian Bar Association.
Understanding the Findings
Between June and August 2021, legal professionals across Canada participated in an anonymous survey assessing wellness indicators within the profession. The results revealed alarming trends:
- One in four participants reported moderate to severe symptoms of depression.
- Over 35% experienced burnout.
- High levels of psychological distress were common across age groups, with younger professionals and women reporting higher rates of distress.
- Core workplace issues included long hours, lack of support, stigma around mental health, and unrealistic performance expectations.
Despite these challenges, the study also surfaced promising coping strategies and pathways forward.
Participants shared that healthy lifestyle habits—including sufficient sleep, balanced nutrition, regular physical activity, and intentional leisure—are central to maintaining mental health and workplace performance. These strategies, while simple in theory, are often difficult to prioritize within the current demands of legal practice.
One participant noted: “If I can take care of the basics—sleeping, eating, exercising—everything else falls into place.”
Another described the cognitive toll of insufficient sleep, highlighting how even brief periods of rest deprivation can impair decision-making and productivity.These reflections underscore a critical point: personal well-being is not separate from professional performance—it enables it.
The Role of Law Schools and Early Career Support
The report also highlights opportunities for structural change, beginning at the level of legal education. Several participants recommended that law schools integrate cross-disciplinary skills such as:
- Emotional self-regulation
- Time and priority management
- Client relationship-building
- Stress management
Such training would not only prepare future professionals to meet the demands of the profession but also equip them with the tools to thrive within it. Similarly, formalized mentorship and early career support emerged as a key area of concern. Many participants emphasized the need for consistent, thoughtful supervision during articling and the early years of practice—not only in terms of legal analysis, but also in navigating workplace expectations, developing professional identity, and managing complex interpersonal dynamics.
Building a Profession That Supports Its People
As the legal profession continues to evolve in the face of technological, social, and generational change, we must confront an essential truth: a profession that regularly exhausts and isolates its members cannot continue unchanged.
The findings of the National Wellness Study are not simply a warning—they are an invitation. They invite law societies, firms, academic institutions, and individual professionals to reimagine what it means to build a meaningful, long-term legal career in Canada.
For Generation Z and all who follow, the goal is not to resist the profession—it is to participate in its renewal. A healthy and sustainable legal practice is not only possible—it is necessary.
[1] Université de Sherbrooke, Towards a Healthy and Sustainable Practice of Law in Canada: Phase I (2020–2022) Research Report, National Study on the Health and Wellness Determinants of Legal Professionals in Canada (Sherbrooke: Université de Sherbrooke, 2022), online: https://flsc.ca/national-wellness-study/ [ISBN 978-2-9818271-5-9].
Legally Spitting 