Setfords successfully launches Lawyer Wellbeing department

It’s no secret that life as a lawyer can be stressful. Arguably, thinking and working under pressure comes with the job. But the fast-paced world of law, with increasing client demands, long hours, and billable targets can seriously take its toll.

In fact, countless studies (including a recent one by the University of East London and Birkbeck) show lawyers have higher stress levels and poorer psychological well-being than the general population.

However, not all law firms work against lawyers’ wellbeing. In fact, a major reason why consultants join Setfords is for the flexibility to control their work, the freedom to see more of their family and friends and the time to be able to realise their personal ambitions.

Our way of working focuses on wellbeing as a conduit of success. This doesn’t only work for consultants on an individual level, but it makes Setfords stronger overall.

“We founded Setfords on the premise that happier lawyers mean happier clients,” explains Guy Setford, co-CEO of Setfords Solicitors, who is regularly invited to speak at conferences about how putting wellbeing at the heart of the firm also makes business sense.

“And it’s working. You’ve only got to look at the feedback our solicitors get from clients (such as on Trustpilot) to see the clear business case for wellbeing. We look after our consultants, which enables them to offer a higher service to their clients,” says Guy.

New Lawyer Wellbeing Department

But this year has been particularly challenging for everyone. The pandemic has stretched most people’s mental, physical, and emotional health – and we want to ensure our consultants can access any extra support they need to stay healthy and enjoy their work.

So, we’re strengthening our offering by investing in a new Lawyer Wellbeing department.

At Setfords, the emphasis is on people, not spreadsheets and billing targets. We’re not here to tick the corporate box and be seen to be ‘doing’ wellbeing. Happiness at work is a top priority for us and as we continue to evolve and expand, we will continue to invest in ensuring our consultants get exactly what they need.

So, we’re delighted to appoint Marissa Ayres, as Director and Head of Lawyer Wellbeing. Marissa has been with the firm for six years and is well-known to our consultants. To assist her, Rosie Courtney has also joined the new department. Rosie has a background in events and has worked in administration at Setfords.

What is wellbeing?

Wellbeing can mean anything from being physically fit to mentally healthy. We see it as referring to someone’s overall state of feeling, and how they are functioning. For us, it’s not about feeling on top of your game 24/7 – no one lives in a constant state of high wellbeing – it’s more about being generally comfortable, healthy, and happy and in the best place to cope with the inevitable ups and downs we all experience in work and life.

Personalised, pro-active support

“All of our consultants are different and work in different ways,” says Marissa. “We’re here to provide them with resources to help them work in the way they want to, so they can achieve a great work/life balance and a greater sense of wellbeing.”

The new department is about on-going support as well as staying connected to lawyers on a friendly, social basis – which can be helpful for consultants who live and work alone, particularly during lockdowns and social and travel restrictions.

Marissa says: “This can be as simple as picking up the phone for a chat, having a virtual coffee, or arranging meetings between consultants (online, or socially distanced) locally. We’re taking a really personal approach, and we’re here to support each one of our consultants in a way that works for them.”

Way forward

Our new Lawyer Wellbeing department is a long-term, ongoing investment in the wellbeing of everyone at Setfords.

“This is just the start of our new offering,” says Chris Setford, co-CEO of Setfords Solicitors. “We’re an innovative firm and we’re constantly evolving to ensure we continue to offer the absolute best way of working for lawyers. We know that if we make sure our lawyers get everything they need, they give the best service to their clients, and the business succeeds overall.”