The need for lawyers to focus on thriving, not just surviving

In the same episode, she argued that universities and the broader profession are falling short in showing young lawyers the full spectrum of opportunities a law degree can unlock – including the often-overlooked path of running their own firm.

From the very first day of their careers, Styles highlighted the immense responsibility and pressure placed on lawyers, who are expected to not only uphold the law but also to consistently embody the highest personal and ethical standards in how they act, lead, and are perceived.

“The profession of being a lawyer has so much responsibility. We have so many requirements of us that already put pressure on us from the start,” she said.

“We need to make sure we’re upstanding citizens, that we’re also abiding by the law, that we’re also good people to be able to practise law. So there [are] all of those base requirements of becoming a lawyer that already put pressure on you to act a certain way and be a certain way.”

Beyond the profession’s basic ethical demands, Styles warned that lawyers’ perfectionist and overachieving instincts, while fuelling ambition and success, also crank up the pressure to perform flawlessly at every turn.

“Not only that, the profession of the law is that you need to be right all the time. So a lot of lawyers have a personality trait that loves to be right, that are perfectionists, that are overachievers,” she said.

VIEW ALL

“We all have these traits, which can be really productive, and they allow us to achieve success. They’re really great because they help us to go from one level to the next level, because we’re all very driven and motivated people.”

While ambition and perfectionism can fuel success, Styles also highlighted how these same traits can push lawyers towards burnout, especially junior lawyers navigating corporate environments where feeling voiceless can take a significant emotional toll.

“But the flip side to those personality traits is that I have experienced burnout, or you may be in a corporate space and you experience things where you don’t feel like you have a voice because you’re still a junior lawyer and you’re trying to navigate that. Even that takes an emotional topple,” she said.

She added that long hours, relentless pressure to be right, and the heavy responsibility of delivering flawless legal advice create a perfect storm where burnout can quietly take hold.

“I do think long hours, the stress of being right, the stress of making sure your legal advice is solid, all of those things that are required of a lawyer are very signs, they’re very easy to lead to burnout,” she said.

To combat this, Styles emphasised the power of early intervention and self-awareness, noting that recognising the warning signs of stress allows lawyers to take proactive steps to protect their mental health before it spirals out of control.

“Putting things into place early on, when you can recognise signs or symptoms of your own health, can really help you manage, making sure you don’t end up having burnout,” she said.

“I think from somebody who has had burnout, both in a working for somebody situation and also working for myself situation, I have been able to come to a happy ground where I feel like I’m thriving and not surviving.”