Exclusive research: Managing mental health and workloads among key challenges for Gen-Zers, along with addressing knowledge gaps
Law firms say that one of the major challenges for junior lawyers entering the legal profession in the coming years is navigating the varying generational perspectives at work, exclusive research undertaken by Legal Cheek has shown.
Out of nearly 40 law firms surveyed, over a third (36%) said that the biggest hurdle for aspiring Generation Z lawyers will be dealing with the difference in workplace attitudes between themselves and their older colleagues.
For example, previous research has suggested that Generation Xers (those aged between 44 and 59) tend to prioritise long-term career growth and stability over job-hopping, and also prefer a more hands-off leadership approach, valuing independence and autonomy in their work.
By contrast, Generation Zers (those aged between 12 and 27) are more likely to prioritise career advancement and opportunities for skills development, often seeking out new experiences and challenges early in their careers. They also tend to respond well to collaborative and inclusive leadership styles, preferring frequent check-ins and guidance from their superiors.
The research also identified addressing potential “knowledge gaps” (31%) as another significant challenge for those entering the profession, alongside the ability to effectively manage mental health (11%). Other areas mentioned by law firms included client care and meeting professional standards (6%), managing workloads (6%) and legal knowledge gaps (6%).
The research also examined law firms’ approaches to Continuing Professional Development (CPD), with all 36 respondent outfits confirming they offered “quality” CPD opportunities to their junior lawyers.
Most firms delivered these opportunities either through online seminars (50%), half/full-day courses (33%), conferences (6%), and mentorship schemes (6%), with nearly three-quarters (72%) using a combination of in-house and external training providers to do so.
Regarding areas for further development, firms highlighted personal skills such as resilience and time management as their top priority, followed by business and commercial attributes like leadership and client-focused communication. In addition, firms also flagged core legal skills such as drafting and oral communication, along with specialist/technical legal knowledge.
The most popular considerations by firms when planning a CPD initiative are its relevance to current legal trends and recommendations from lawyers. These were followed by budget constraints and accreditation and compliance requirements.
When evaluating the success of a CPD programme, two-thirds of firms stated that they primarily relied on feedback from participating lawyers. Only 14% identified the impact on lawyers’ job performance as their top consideration.
Finally, we also took the opportunity to question firms about their approach to the Solicitors Qualifying Examination (SQE).
The vast majority of law firms (89%) said that they require non-law students to complete a conversion course before undertaking the SQE. Additionally, all but three firms stressed the need for their future lawyers to pursue supplementary training alongside their SQE studies, with the top three choices being LLM/master’s programmes, practice area-focused modules, and skills-focused courses.
Sixty-four percent indicated that this is arranged through an external provider, while a quarter utilise a combination of external providers and in-house resources. Only 3% — or one firm — stated they would exclusively provide this additional training in-house.
CPD and the SQE will be central topics of discussion at LegalEdCon 2024, Legal Cheek’s annual future of legal education and training conference, taking place in-person at Kings Place, London, this Thursday (16 May). Delegates will hear from a range of law firms and law schools on how they are developing and implementing these programmes as the profession continues to get to grips with the new regime.
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