BecomingGolden

On 14th May 2026, the East Africa Law Society hosted a timely webinar under the theme, “Burnout in the Legal Profession: Managing Stress, Sustaining Performance, and Preventing Professional Exhaustion.” The discussion, held during Mental Health Awareness Month, created a much-needed space for legal professionals to reflect on stress, emotional fatigue, workplace pressure, and the importance of sustaining wellness in legal practice.

As moderator, I had the honour of guiding a distinguished panel of speakers through a conversation that was both necessary and long overdue. The discussion brought together mental health expertise, legal practice experience, employment law perspectives, and reflections on institutional responsibility within the profession.

The keynote address was delivered by Dr. Evas Atwine, Chief Executive Director and Founder of the International Centre for Mental Health and Family Care (ICFC) Ltd. Speaking on “Understanding Burnout in High-Pressure Professions: Mental Health Resilience and Sustainable Practice,” Dr. Atwine began by clarifying a common misconception: mental health is not mental illness. Rather, it is the ability to manage stress and remain productive.

She described burnout as physical and mental exhaustion, loss of emotional capacity, reduced motivation, diminished resilience, and loss of hope and optimism. To make the concept relatable, she compared burnout to a phone that is constantly used without being charged, a car running without servicing, a tree surviving drought until it eventually dries out, and an overloaded backpack that becomes too heavy to carry.

Dr. Atwine explained that lawyers fall within high-pressure professions because they constantly deal with people’s pain, disputes, losses, rights, conflicts, and expectations. She described such professions as “healing professions” because they involve helping others through difficult situations. However, she warned that professionals in such spaces may be tempted to heal others while silently harming themselves.

She identified excessive workloads, long working hours, digital overload, poor work-life balance, economic pressure, and compassion fatigue as some of the leading causes of burnout. She also highlighted warning signs such as irritability, anxiety, chronic fatigue, poor sleep, reduced motivation, frequent illness, withdrawal, and isolation. She cautioned against glorifying busyness and reminded participants that exhaustion is not a badge of honour.

One of her strongest reminders was that success which comes at the cost of one’s well-being is not true success. She emphasized that burnout is not an achievement and that self-care is a professional responsibility. She encouraged lawyers to manage workloads, delegate, take structured breaks, utilize annual leave, practice digital detox, prioritize quality sleep, foster healthy relationships, and seek professional support early. She also reminded participants that “no” is a complete sentence and that professionals must learn to set boundaries without guilt.

The first panelist, Ms. Mariam Babaali, Managing Partner, Kabuzire, Mbabaali and Co Advocates, spoke on “The Reality of Burnout in Legal Practice: Pressure, Performance and Professional Identity.” She opened with a powerful reflection that what is not transformed is transmitted. In her view, this speaks directly to the legal profession, where many lawyers inherit systems that teach ethics, integrity, courtroom conduct, and professional demeanor, but not emotional processing, stress management, or recovery from trauma.

Ms. Mbabaali described legal practice as adversarial and emotionally demanding. Lawyers listen to painful client stories, handle emotionally charged matters, manage strict deadlines, appear in court, and constantly switch between emotional intensity and professional composure. She noted that many lawyers carry secondary trauma from the disputes they handle, yet few spaces exist for them to process what they have heard, seen, or argued.

She challenged law firms, courts, and professional bodies to create systems that allow lawyers to check in on their mental health, especially after difficult matters. She also questioned the culture of celebrating constant availability, long hours, and chronic stress as signs of excellence. In her view, the profession must stop normalizing exhaustion and instead build a culture that allows lawyers to rest, reflect, set boundaries, and serve without losing themselves.

The second panelist, Ms. Mercy Cheredi Chore, Associate Advocate, CM Advocates LLP, addressed “From Stress to Liability: Employer Duties and Mental Health in the Workplace.” Her presentation shifted the conversation from personal wellness to legal and institutional responsibility. She explained that mental health in the workplace is no longer merely a private issue, but one with legal, regulatory, and employment implications.

She noted that while mental health challenges may arise from both work-related and non-work-related factors, liability may arise where an employer knows or ought to have known about an employee’s mental health risk and fails to respond reasonably. The issue is therefore not only whether the employer caused the condition, but whether the employer ignored warning signs, failed to accommodate the employee, or responded in a punitive manner.

Ms. Mercy discussed legal frameworks across East Africa, including constitutional protections, employment law, occupational safety obligations, anti-discrimination principles, and mental health legislation. She highlighted that in Uganda, occupational safety law recognizes both physical and mental elements affecting health in relation to work. She also referred to emerging case law where courts have considered issues such as discrimination, failure to accommodate mental health conditions, constructive dismissal, unfair termination, and psychological harm.

Her key message to employers was that mental health risks must be taken seriously. She encouraged employers to document and investigate mental health complaints, obtain independent medical assessments, avoid assuming that mental health challenges amount to incapacity, and provide reasonable accommodations where possible. She also called for workplace mental health policies, employee assistance programmes, confidential referral pathways, grievance mechanisms, and support structures.

The final panelist, Ms. Asmahaney Saad, spoke on “Beyond the Individual: Institutional Responsibility in Preventing Burnout.” She reflected on whether the legal profession can meaningfully address burnout without rethinking how success is measured. She observed that many people are attracted to law because of visible symbols of success such as eloquence, respect, courtroom visibility, financial reward, status, and social recognition. However, she questioned whether these external measures are enough when the person behind them is internally exhausted.

Ms. Asmahaney emphasized that law should not become the whole of one’s identity, but should instead be understood as a tool for service, purpose, and impact. She encouraged lawyers to ask deeper questions: Why law? What part of law aligns with my purpose? Am I practicing from passion, survival, competition, or pressure?

She noted that many lawyers enter the profession as high achievers and are then placed into a system that rewards competition, long working hours, aggression, and visibility. In her view, this creates a survival culture that must be transformed. She called for more open conversations around mental health, greater awareness within professional bodies, wellness initiatives, support structures, and a mindset shift within the legal fraternity.

The webinar served as a powerful reminder that lawyers are human beings before they are professionals. They carry not only files, deadlines, and client expectations, but also emotions, pressure, fatigue, and personal responsibilities. Burnout in the legal profession is therefore not merely an individual concern; it is a personal, institutional, and professional issue that requires intentional action.

The future of legal practice must not be built on silent suffering. It must be built on healthier systems, supportive workplaces, honest conversations, self-awareness, institutional responsibility, and a renewed understanding that caring for oneself is not a luxury. It is part of sustaining excellence in the legal profession.

For more insights, watch the full discussion here: