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87% of lawyers have experienced incivility, report finds
A recent survey has unveiled the troubling extent of incivility within the legal profession, revealing alarming high levels of disrespect and psychological distress among Australian lawyers.
Grace Robbie
The Australian National University and the University of Melbourne have published the interim summary of their Lawyer Wellbeing, Workplace Culture, and Ethics Research, offering a revealing snapshot of the key findings from a survey conducted in March of 2024.
The survey, which collected responses from 1,891 practising laws across law firms in Victoria, Western Australia, and NSW, provided an in-depth look into the wellbeing of lawyers and the prevailing workplace culture within the Australian legal profession.
The findings revealed the prevalence of incivility within the legal profession, with the survey identifying seven key forms of incivility that were commonly experienced within the legal profession, including:
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Being ignored or dismissed: 18.3 per cent of respondents reported that they frequently or almost encounter situations where their opinions were disregarded or dismissed.
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Condescending remarks: 16.7 per cent of participants reported that they frequently face situations where they are belittled or treated in a condescending manner.
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Doubts cast on professional judgement: 14.9 per cent of respondents reported frequently having professional judgement questions in areas within their responsibility.
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Exclusion from social interactions: 11.8 per cent of respondents reported being routinely shut out from professional camaraderie or social interactions within their workplace.
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Unprofessional addressing: 10.2 per cent of participants reported experiencing unprofessional language, both in private and public settings.
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Derogatory remarks: 9.7 per cent of surveyed lawyers shared that they have been subjected to rude, demeaning, or derogatory comments.
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Involvement in personal matters: 6.1 per cent of respondents revealed that they had been the target of unwanted attempts to draw them into personal discussions.
Although only 20 per cent of participants indicated that they often or very often encountered these types of incivility behaviour, an overwhelming 87 per cent of respondents reported having experienced at least one of the seven types of misconduct explored in the survey.
The survey also identified clear patterns in how incivility affects different demographic groups, with female lawyers reporting higher levels of incivility compared to their male counterparts. Additionally, lawyers with less than five years of post-qualification experience reported encountering the highest levels of incivility.
In addition to incivility experiences, the survey also examined lawyers’ overall wellbeing and psychological distress, revealing that almost one in three lawyers reported elevated levels of psychological distress.
This distress was especially pronounced among female lawyers and those with less than five years of experience, with a striking 43 per cent reporting high levels of psychological stress.
The interim summary also revealed a concerning number of Australian lawyers contemplating leaving their current employers, with 28.6 per cent of respondents indicating this intent. Even more alarming, 8.4 per cent of participants expressed their intention to leave the legal profession within the next year.
