The text discusses the issue of lawyer burnout and attrition, particularly among junior lawyers, and the Chief Justice's wake-up call about the problem. It also mentions the Ministry of Law's response to the high attrition rate.
IN FOCUS: 1 in 3 new lawyers want out – can the industry fix the burnout before it’s too late? After the Chief Justice's wake-up call about the attrition of junior lawyers, CNA talks to young associates about the difficulties of sustaining a legal career.
SINGAPORE: In her second year on the job, lawyer Johanna suffered her first panic attack when the stress from work became too much to bear. She would come home from work crying after dealing with a particularly unreasonable client and handling multiple files on her own with no help.
This happened because without Johanna’s consent, managers and support staff at her firm had openly discussed her salary – which was pegged to her previous income at a larger, more prestigious law firm. After the seniors at her new firm found out her junior associate pay was close to their own, she said she faced a situation where they were unwilling to give her mentoring guidance. Johanna was hospitalised after the panic attack and received counselling.
She started looking for another job as a way out of the legal industry. Only a timely interview set up by a legal recruiter led to an offer in another firm. She is now a mid-level associate, paying it forward by mentoring trainees and juniors herself.
The issue of lawyer attrition has been present for some time now, with the late Law Society of Singapore president Adrian Tan warning of large numbers of new lawyers leaving the industry amid the “great resignation” during the COVID-19 pandemic. The recent wake-up call from Chief Justice Menon has warned that, if left unchecked, the departures of young lawyers could spell trouble not just for the profession but for society as a whole.
The Ministry of Law referred to a May 6 parliamentary reply by Law Minister Edwin Tong, stating that lawyer attrition has “remained stable” in the last decade. The number of new lawyers who qualify to practise law each year has been largely stable. For now, the number of new lawyers admitted to the Bar from September 2022 to August 2023 was 569, and from September 2023 to August 2024 was 593.
Building a pro bono culture into the collective DNA is critical to address the issue of lawyer burnout and attrition
Lawyer Burnout Lawyer Attrition Chief Justice Menon Law Society Of Singapore Ministry Of Law Pro Bono Culture Access To Justice
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