Legal mental health charity LawCare is set to pilot a webchat service on its website as part of an attempt to encourage younger lawyers to reach out for help.

The charity is set to roll out the webchat in July, having reported earlier this year that it had received its highest ever number of helpline calls in 2018.

LawCare CEO Elizabeth Rimmer said in a statement that "More and more people in the legal community are reaching out to us for support every year, so it is vital we expand our support service.

"We also know that many young people are more likely to seek help online than pick up the phone. Our webchat service will allow anyone working in the legal profession to contact one of our trained team members online for emotional support on any issue that is troubling them."

LawCare also found that the number of calls to the helpline about bullying and harassment had doubled in 2018.

LawCare's latest announcement comes as the U.K. enters Mental Health Awareness Week, with a raft of law firms unveiling their latest initiatives set to tackle poor mental health in the workplace, including 'Doggy De-Stress' sessions and wellbeing apps.

Last year, a Legal Week survey showed that the vast majority of London partners were reluctant to talk about mental wellbeing with colleagues, despite believing that their mental and physical health were being damaged by a culture of long working hours.