Fostering the next generation of legal aid lawyers
Legal aid champion Polly Hall at The Family Law Co by Hartnell Chanot explains why it’s crucial that we have a next generation of legal aid lawyers and how to support those coming through in these extraordinary times.
The commitment shown by dedicated legal aid lawyers up and down the country in ensuring that access to justice is maintained, despite the huge challenges the pandemic poses, should be recognised and applauded.
Legal aid is one of the most vital areas of family law because the most vulnerable in society surely deserve access to legal services as much as everyone else does. It is important to remember that life is harder than we can imagine for many legal aid clients. And this is why we do what we do. Talk to any legal aid lawyer and, even if they’re disheartened, their passion and resolve shines through. This may not be the most profitable practice area, but it is one of the most rewarding.
However, the human impact from working in legal aid is under the spotlight; the additional pressure from increased caseloads during the pandemic has led to extra stress, sleep problems and difficulty switching off from work. But it’s possible to mitigate these using a well-thought-out and well-implemented support programme:
- Regular supervision sessions to go through cases and workloads. This provides an ideal opportunity to discuss case strategy and ensures that junior lawyers receive the expertise and support of more experienced lawyers
- The introduction of a mentoring scheme to discuss not only career aspirations and planning, but mentees work and wellbeing
- A dedicated wellbeing team with ‘champions’ and mental health first aiders available to debate any areas of concern and internal comms providing tips and strategies
- Talks and webinars on topics like mindfulness, stress management and sleep.
Equally important – and another way to help relieve pressure – is to make sure that all members of the team are fully trained and adhere to best practices. Ensuring they understand the legal aid procedure, cost pressures and client process means that burden isn’t all on the lawyer. Good learning and development support really helps with this.
It also makes sense to assure legal aid lawyers that they won’t be penalised if they don’t meet billing targets. The situation we find ourselves in now is like nothing we have experienced before. They are under enough pressure, so why penalise?
Our firm has put these methods in place, and our efforts have been rewarded by attracting rising young talent to our legal aid teams. It is testament to their beliefs and resolve that they have chosen this challenging area, and they deserve our support every step of the way.
We need talented, passionate young lawyers like these to bring their energy to legal aid, not eschew it because it is just too stressful a specialism to even contemplate. The legal profession is doing what it can, but there is more to be done to ensure that this crucial area of family law doesn’t fade away. Because if it does, then what will happen to those who need that help to get access to justice?
Instead, we should step up, shake off the belief that providing legal aid isn’t worth it anymore, and make sure that we encourage the next generation of legal aid lawyers.