The majority of lawyers in private practice have grown to expect long working hours, but more than 80% of senior professionals believe their health is being negatively affected by the time demands, according to new research by Legal Week.

The survey of 267 partners and senior lawyers at leading UK and US law firms found that almost 11% believe their mental/physical health is damaged 'a great deal' by long working hours, with an additional 41% thinking they suffer 'a little damage' and 30% saying there is 'quite a lot' of damage.

While many firms now offer services such as gyms and telephone support lines in an attempt to provide a more rounded working environment, only 21% of respondents think their firm is taking sufficient active steps to help lawyers deal with the impact of long hours. Fifty-seven percent report that their firm is taking no active steps at all. 

"We monitor working hours very closely and are aware of the associated health risks," says John Lucy, HR director at Berwin Leighton Paisner. "In instances where individuals are working long hours, we provide the support and guidance required to mitigate against any potential damage to health."

The survey demonstrates the extent to which long hours have become the norm at leading law firms, with 95% saying they work some weekends and 22% working every weekend. More than 10% of respondents report an average working week of 70 hours or more, while just over a third (34%) work 60 hours or more and three quarters (75%) work 50 hours plus.

With workloads picking up as the economy makes a slow recovery, this pattern is not expected to change anytime soon; instead the trend is upwards. While most respondents (61%) anticipate that their working hours will remain the same over the next 12 months, 31% expect them to increase against only 8% who believe they will decrease.

"The legal profession is demanding and there is no denying that lawyers tend to work long hours," comments David Patient, managing partner of Travers Smith.

"Achieving a balance between your work life and personal life is key to being both happy and healthy," adds Mishcon de Reya managing partner Kevin Gold. "We do not believe that the number of hours spent in the office are a measure of success."

Nonetheless, career development is considerably affected by the need to be  seen to be willing to work long hours, according to 68.7% of survey respondents.

Expert opinion is unambiguous. "If you work consistently over 48 hours, it definitely damages you," says organisational psychologist Sir Cary Cooper. "There have been innumerable international studies showing that working consistently long hours will damage your health.

"Law firms continue to do this because clients demand it. The hours are penal. In commercial law, it's not just long hours, it's unsocial hours – ie weekends – damaging in all sorts of ways.

"Rates of stress, depression and burnout are very high. It's hidden because people are frightened of letting partners and colleagues know that they're not coping."

Consultant psychiatrist Dr Paul Keedwell treats many City professionals at London's Nightingale Hospital. "There is a macho culture in law firms – a denial of problems. The biggest danger is depression," he cautions. 

"The culture needs to change – there is no justification for the hours commercial lawyers do. The main thing is the health of their employees: it is unethical to put them at risk through excessively long hours and excessive stress on a continuous basis."

The full findings of the survey will be published in next week's (24 April) issue of Legal Week.