Vicarious Trauma and Burnout in Law：Managing Psychological Stress to Promote Safety, Performance, and Wellbeing in Legal Practice

This book integrates research on the causes, responses and protective strategies for vicarious trauma that are recognised in a range of human services and argues their relevance to the legal profession.

Examining related conditions that are common among lawyers - including burnout, compassion fatigue and secondary trauma stress – the text reveals how lawyers’ vulnerability to trauma is aggravated by stigma against mental health concerns in workplaces with poor leadership, weak supervision, and an adversarial “law-as-business” approach. The author proposes adaptions to legal education and practice management to help lawyers cope with stress and trauma, use their work experiences to improve their self-awareness, maintain their wellbeing, and ultimately to thrive in their work. Rich in evidence-based practices, strategies and tools, this book serves to help individuals, workplaces and law schools become trauma-informed.

An indispensable guide for lawyers, law firm managers and supervisors, as well as legal educators and students seeking to enhance their resilience, self-awareness and wellbeing in readiness for legal practice.