Aoife Grally is People Business Partner EMEA & APAC. Clio explores how law firms that are forward-thinking foster wellbeing, flexibility, and long-term successes for their employees.
Leadership is changing, and it is about time. Whereas success used to be measured by only short-term results and top-down power, today the most effective leaders prioritise empathy, adaptability and human connection.
We are witnessing a positive shift in the way firms look at their employees. Many firms are actively recalibrating their definition of a successful culture – shifting away from the ‘always on’ mentality and moving towards sustainable models that promote growth, wellbeing, and retention.
The evolution of the legal profession has not always been easy. With <a href="https://www.abajournal.com/news/article/lawyers-report-high-level-of-satisfaction-with-their-jobs-but-stress-remains-an-issue-survey-finds%23:~:text=Eighty%25252Dthree%252520percent%252520of%252520surveyed,survey%252520findings%252520by%252520Law360%252520Pulse. It's no secret, however, that lawyers can feel stressed at times. They often work long hours and require critical thinking to be done quickly, as well as high emotional intelligence. Instead of painting a picture that's negative, I think it's a sector with a lot of potential. One that embraces change, is open about issues like workload and flexibility, as well as showing a genuine desire to support its people.
Leadership that is people-focused is at the core of this transformation. HR professionals today are in a better position than ever before to lead this transformation.
New framework for leadership
HR leaders who work in professional services or with them have seen their demands increase, not only in terms of complexity but also in scope. We no longer create policy or resolve issues reactively. We’re instead building trust-based system, shaping inclusive strategies, and integrating people metrics directly into the business conversations.
Three leadership traits stand out to me in HR leaders today – all are transferable between sectors.
- Emotional intelligence – Listening to employees at all levels and understanding what they need.
- Pragmatic adaptability is the ability to respond with clarity and flexibility, not rigidity, to changes (whether they be hybrid expectations, generational requirements, or technology-driven transformation).
- Strategic influence: Guiding leaders in seeing people-first actions not as morale boosters, but as business imperatives backed up by data, client outcomes and retention results.
This is also recognised by law firms. The leading law firms have HR teams integrated into their leadership structures, and they are involved in everything from strategic planning to legal operations design.
Wellbeing: from initiative to infrastructure
Mental Health Awareness Week serves as a timely reminder of the fact that workplace wellbeing is about more than one-off sessions and temporary support. When wellbeing is built into systems from the beginning, true change can occur.
Legal professionals are no strangers to high pressure and expectations. What’s changed is how firms are now tackling it head-on. They may be rethinking their resourcing model, providing managers with tools to have psychologically safe discussions, or investing in technology that allows them more time to do meaningful work.
Firms that embrace flexibility and wellbeing see benefits beyond morale, including better retention and productivity. They also have stronger relationships with clients. Lawyers themselves are aware that change is important – they actively look for workplaces where health and performance are equally valued.
HR’s role in this is to translate these expectations into operational design. This could include:
- Build annual leave usage into KPIs for teams – not only through reminders, but also by design to prevent burnout.
- Early culture patterns can be identified by analyzing engagement and exit data.
- Tracking wellness initiatives with the exact same rigor as revenue or usage.
- Instead of rewarding overwork, encourage leaders to show vulnerability and balance.
In this area, technology is also an important tool. The legal sector is adopting more tools to reduce repetitive tasks, improve flexibility and automate admin. , 43% UK solicitors say AI boosted their productivity. Over 20% of UK solicitors report better mental health, and work-life harmony.
Leadership through action
Leadership is not just about messages- it’s also about making decisions. HR leaders understand this intuitively. How we manage our calendars and close out the day – all send a message. In a field like law where even the smallest of cues can set team norms, this is especially true.
How can we become more proactive?
- Train managers on evidence-based approaches for managing workload and mental health, especially high performers.
- Hold space for critical comments and act on the feedback shared by employees from all backgrounds, careers, and locations.
- Do not limit productivity to traditional measures. Instead, define it in a way that benefits both the client and the employee.
When taken consistently, even seemingly small steps can have a profound impact on the culture of an organisation.
People-first strategies: the future
In the future, firms will thrive in all areas of law, including legal, if they lead with transparency, credibility, and care. This doesn’t imply perfect wellbeing dashboards, or the promise to work stress-free. This means recognizing the connection between long-term success of a firm, sustainable careers and engaged employees.
HR can show how this is done: by enabling performance, creating resilient leadership pipelines and helping senior teams to recognise that psychological security and high-quality work for clients are not mutually exclusive.
I’ve worked in law firms who are investing actively in practices that put people first. The shift has already begun. Legal professionals are looking for careers that are sustainable and aligned with their values. They also want to be energized. It is the role of progressive HR to make this a reality through design, leadership, and action.
We can change the way we manage and retain staff, as well as how entire professions develop for the better if we make wellbeing a key indicator of business maturity.
