Australian Lawyer Well-being: Workplace Demands, Resources and the Impact of Time-billing Targets

Abstract

The purpose of the present study was to examine the types of workplace demands and resources experienced by full-time Australian lawyers, and the prevalence of a range of psychological outcomes. The study further focussed on the impact of time-billing targets on lawyers’ experience of these variables. Participants were 384 full-time Australian lawyers who completed an online questionnaire distributed by their Australian State or Territory Law Society. Analysis revealed that emphasis on profits within the workplace was the highest perceived demand, and the perception of social value in their work was the highest available resource. The results indicated that 37% of participants displayed Moderate to Extremely Severe depressive symptoms, and 35% were a positive screen for hazardous or harmful drinking. A series of three multivariate analyses of variance revealed significant differences between non-billers, low-to-moderate billers and high billers, with high billers experiencing greater demands, fewer resources and poorer psychological outcomes. The practical applications of these results for the legal profession are discussed.

Key words:

• alcohol misuse
• anxiety
• demands
• depression
• job dissatisfaction
• lawyers
• resources
• stress
• time-billing

Notes

1. Note, doubling DASS-21 scores yields values very similar to values obtained for the full scale (42 item) DASS (Henry & Crawford, 2005; Lovibond & Lovibond, 1995).

2. In a large, non-clinical, sample, broadly representative of the general adult population in the United Kingdom (N = 1791).