share on
A four-year study of 855 practising and former lawyers found that poor workplace culture is pushing lawyers out of firms, while mental health challenges are the strongest predictor of leaving the profession altogether.
Workplace culture and mental health are among the biggest factors driving lawyers out of Singapore's legal profession, according to a new study that has prompted immediate action from The Law Society of Singapore, the Judiciary, and the Ministry of Law (MinLaw).
Released this week, the Legal Profession Sustainability Study found that lawyers often leave firms because of their day-to-day workplace experiences, while poor mental health is the strongest predictor of leaving the profession altogether.
The four-year study, commissioned by The Law Society and conducted by people insights company Anthro, surveyed 855 practising and former lawyers and included interviews with former judges, legal academics, practitioners, and lawyers who have left practice.
Why lawyers leave firms and the profession
The study was initiated against a backdrop of persistent attrition in Singapore's legal sector.
According to Anthro, the research was inspired by concerns raised by the late Adrian Tan, then President of The Law Society, who highlighted a "perfect storm" facing young lawyers as more practitioners left the profession while fewer entered it.
In 2021 alone, 538 lawyers did not renew their practising certificates, representing a 30% increase from the previous year.
One of the study's key findings is that leaving a law firm and leaving the legal profession are driven by different factors.
Why lawyers leave firms and the profession
A key finding of the study is that the reasons lawyers leave a firm are not the same as the reasons they leave the legal profession altogether.
According to the report, workplace culture is the strongest factor influencing whether lawyers remain committed to their firms. Lawyers who do not feel safe speaking up, supported by their immediate supervisors, or valued as individuals outside of work are more likely to disengage from their organisations.
In contrast, poor mental health emerged as the strongest predictor of whether lawyers intend to leave the profession entirely.
Nearly 36% of survey respondents reported experiencing moderate or severe levels of anxiety, while almost 19% reported symptoms consistent with moderately severe or severe depression.
The study suggests the two issues are closely connected. Researchers found evidence that poor workplace culture may gradually undermine mental wellbeing over time, increasing the likelihood that lawyers eventually consider leaving legal practice altogether.
The report also identifies areas for future research. These include understanding why some lawyers remain in practice despite the challenges, as well as examining whether broader admission criteria beyond academic performance could help identify future lawyers with qualities linked to long-term sustainability, such as resilience, interpersonal skills, and ethical judgement.
Attrition is driven by pressures across the legal ecosystem
The study found that lawyer attrition cannot be attributed to a single cause.
Instead, the survey and interviews point to an ecosystem of interconnected pressures involving firms, supervisors, clients, the courts, legal education institutions, and the profession as a whole.
Researchers noted that court timelines influence deadlines, client expectations shape workload intensity, billing models shape boundaries, senior lawyers establish workplace norms, and legal education shapes expectations before lawyers enter practice.
Firms and supervisors have the greatest influence
Among factors within organisations' direct control, organisational support, a family- and life-supportive environment, and effective supervision emerged as the strongest predictors of commitment.
Interview participants frequently said they left managers rather than the work itself.
The report also highlighted concerns about incivility and bullying, particularly in firms without dedicated HR support structures. Junior lawyers reported experiencing more than twice the level of incivility reported by senior colleagues.
Researchers also identified an intergenerational pattern whereby negative workplace behaviours can be passed down from one generation of lawyers to the next.
Several junior lawyers called for whistleblowing channels and more consistent enforcement of professional conduct standards.
Client expectations contribute to long-hours culture
Client demands were identified as a major driver of overwork within the profession.
Interviewees described expectations of constant availability, with work regularly extending into annual leave and medical leave.
Some lawyers also pointed to international competition, noting that firms often align their working patterns with counterparts in New York, London, and Hong Kong. In some practice areas, respondents described 80-hour work weeks as normal.
The survey findings reflected these concerns, with workload and time pressure emerging as significant predictors of intentions to leave private practice or move into in-house roles.
The report notes that setting reasonable boundaries around availability will require broader conversations with clients, rather than relying solely on firms to address the issue.
Court practices are also shaping lawyers' experiences
The report found that some pressures originate outside the control of individual firms.
Several interviewees pointed to court timelines and scheduling expectations as factors contributing to stress, particularly among litigation lawyers.
Some suggested that a culture of strict timelines introduced to address historical case backlogs has persisted over time, while others cited challenging interactions and limited flexibility around deadlines.
A number of junior lawyers reported being encouraged to avoid litigation as a career path because of these pressures.
The study also suggests that clearer and safer channels for lawyers to provide feedback on court practices could help surface concerns and support constructive improvements.
Legal education may need to evolve alongside the profession
The findings also point to opportunities for change earlier in the talent pipeline.
Younger lawyers reported significantly higher job-search activity and greater interest in in-house careers compared to their senior counterparts.
Rather than attributing this to a lack of resilience, the report suggests it may reflect how early legal careers are structured, including premature specialisation, limited exposure to different areas of practice, and dependence on a single supervisor.
Researchers also highlighted the growing impact of artificial intelligence on the profession. As AI increasingly takes over routine and document-heavy tasks traditionally performed by junior lawyers, the report suggests legal education may need to focus more heavily on judgement, professional identity, adaptability, and other skills that are less easily replicated by technology.
Wellbeing remains a profession-wide concern
Across the profession, wellbeing emerged as a significant concern.
Around one in five lawyers met the criteria for severe anxiety, while a similar proportion reported symptoms associated with moderately severe or severe depression.
Fewer than half of respondents rated their physical health positively, and roughly three-quarters reported falling short of recommended exercise and sleep guidelines.
The study found that these challenges are particularly pronounced among junior lawyers, who reported poorer mental health outcomes and lower levels of psychological safety than senior practitioners.
Responding to the findings, MinLaw said the study addresses an issue that is critical to the long-term sustainability and progress of Singapore's legal profession.
The ministry acknowledged the broad and inclusive nature of the study, noting that it sheds light on a range of organisational, practice-related, and economic pressures affecting lawyers across the profession.
"The findings in the Study must be taken seriously and considered carefully," MinLaw said in a statement, adding that Singapore's legal talent is a valuable asset and that open discussions are needed to support both professional growth and long-term wellbeing in legal practice.
MinLaw also welcomed the immediate steps taken by The Law Society and the Judiciary to examine the findings and develop appropriate responses. It said it will continue working with stakeholders through ongoing industry engagement and the Future of the Legal Profession Committee.
The ministry reiterated that long-term sustainability is essential to maintaining a resilient legal sector that can continue to support Singapore's growth.
What's next?
Following the study's completion, The Law Society has convened the Task Force on the Fulfilment and Sustainability of Younger Lawyers to examine the findings and develop practical recommendations for the profession.
Co-led by Charmaine Yap and Darryl Chew, Co-Chairpersons, The Law Society's Young Lawyers Committee, the task force will focus on five key areas identified in the report:
- workplace culture and supervisory conduct
- wellbeing and mental health
- early-career structure and exploration including legal education, rotations, delayed specialisation and billing models
- broader ecosystem and structural reform including court timelines, billing practices, and client expectations.
As Singapore's legal profession grapples with longstanding attrition challenges, the study concludes that there is no single fix. Instead, improving sustainability will require coordinated action across the legal ecosystem, including firms, clients, the courts, educational institutions, regulators, and professional bodies.
share on
