Amid growing concern over burnout and poor mental health in the legal profession, a new initiative aimed at helping lawyers connect outside the workplace has launched its first in-person event in Pretoria.
The Pretoria Hike & Connect, part of the Happy Lawyers Project, brought legal professionals together at Groenkloof Nature Reserve over the weekend for hiking and discussions on wellbeing.
The founder, Simone Gray, said the project was created to provide a safe space where lawyers could speak openly about their well-being, mental health and the realities of legal practice without fear of stigma.
“Most importantly, we want to create a space where people feel less alone and comfortable seeking mental health support.”
She said the legal profession was characterised by long hours, high pressure and elevated levels of anxiety, depression and burnout. The International Bar Association’s 2021 wellbeing survey had found that one in three respondents said work had a negative or extremely negative impact on their health.
Gray said South African lawyers, as in other countries, worked in a high pressure environment, facing “long working hours and limited focus on mental health”.
The Happy Lawyers Project was founded on the belief that “lawyers deserve to thrive, not just survive”.
“We want to advocate for building a profession that values humanity alongside excellence, where it is possible to do meaningful work without sacrificing one’s mental and emotional wellbeing, recognising that professionals who are happy, perform better.”
As part of the initiative, the project offers an online support group community, where members can reach out for support when struggling mentally.
“We also regularly share mental health-related information in the group. We have hosted several webinars aimed at destigmatising conversations about mental illness and sharing practical tools for dealing with anxiety and depression in the legal field,” Gray said.
“For three years, we have also attended the annual KZN Mental Health Advocacy Walk & Wellness Fair, where we have a stall. The Pretoria Hike & Connect has offered a chance to raise awareness about mental health in the legal profession whilst also creating community connections.”
Among the group of lawyers who traded their black judicial robes for tracksuits and running shoes was Mmapule Mothupi, an attorney with Langa M Attorneys, with expertise in data privacy, cyber law and regulatory compliance.
Mothupi said the hike provided a welcome break from the pressures of legal practice and helped colleagues connect outside the workplace.
“The legal profession is fast-paced, high pressure and often isolating. Activities like hiking provide a healthy outlet to manage stress, improve mental wellbeing and help prevent burnout.
“It also creates space to build community and remind ourselves that our well-being matters just as much as our billable hours. Overall, the hike was more than just exercise, it was restorative.”
Many professionals, Gray said, often did not realise “their lifestyle is unsustainable until they reach a state of burnout”.
“Work-life balance is so important for mental and physical wellbeing. Burnout can take months, if not years to recover from. It is also well documented that people who take care of their mental wellbeing are usually more productive at work and perform better.”
Creating a better work environment in the legal profession was every legal professional’s responsibility. “We hope that, as a community, we can start having these honest conversations and lead by example,” Gray added.