{
  "id": 1384315,
  "title": "Many NZ lawyers find their work rewarding – and distressing. How can they be supported?",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/17/many-nz-lawyers-find-their-work-rewarding-and-distressing-how-can",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-08-17T00:07:01.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Conversation AU",
    "slug": "the-conversation-au",
    "url": "https://theconversation.com/many-nz-lawyers-find-their-work-rewarding-and-distressing-how-can-they-be-supported-289218"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Being a lawyer in Aotearoa New Zealand is widely known as a demanding profession, but recent research reveals that the challenges extend beyond the typical workload and long hours. The newly published \"Law in Distress\" report has uncovered significant levels of work-related distress and indirect trauma among lawyers, which can be attributed to both the inherent nature of their work and broader systemic issues. Surprisingly, despite these hardships, the majority of surveyed lawyers (77.5%) expressed their intention to continue practicing law. This unwavering commitment is crucial when contemplating potential solutions to alleviate work-related distress. To effectively address this issue, any proposed solutions must acknowledge the intrinsic meaning lawyers derive from their profession, as well as their strong professional identity and sense of belonging within the legal community.",
  "summary": "NZ’s first large study of lawyer wellbeing finds widespread work-related distress – as well as some potential solutions to address it.",
  "key_points": [
    "77.5% of surveyed lawyers intend to continue practicing law",
    "Work-related distress and indirect trauma among lawyers",
    "Solutions must acknowledge intrinsic meaning and professional identity"
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}