Biglaw

Young Biglaw Associates Are Struggling In Their 'Toxic' Workplaces

Do older lawyers have any empathy for what their younger colleagues are going through?

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Ed. note: Welcome to our daily feature, Quote of the Day.

[Biglaw] firm culture is toxic. The economics drive a hierarchical structure that is and will always be opposed to any genuine culture of caring or well-being. Those who make it to the top by virtue of having withstood this for decades will not really be able to have empathy for those below. It’s just not part of what happens.

— A Biglaw litigator, aged 55 to 64, in response to a question asked in Law.com’s annual Mental Health Survey. As noted in the survey results, young lawyers aged 34 and under seem to be suffering the most in the Biglaw environment, reporting higher rates of depression, anxiety, and other mental health issues, as well feelings of self-doubt, hopelessness, lost motivation, and work-related dread.

Staci ZaretskyStaci Zaretsky is a senior editor at Above the Law, where she’s worked since 2011. She’d love to hear from you, so please feel free to email her with any tips, questions, comments, or critiques. You can follow her on X/Twitter and Threads or connect with her on LinkedIn.

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