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Women in the legal industry are concerned that the COVID-19 pandemic will drive further gender inequality within the profession, and that there are particular mental health issues arising for women currently working at home due to the crisis.

The concerns were raised by participants in new research to coincide with the U.K.'s Mental Health Awareness Week. Project First 100 Years surveyed nearly 900 women across the globe who work in the industry about their concerns of the impact of COVID-19 on their mental health and gender equality.

Sixty five per cent of those surveyed believe that the crisis has "exaggerated existing inequalities between men and women", as women grapple with often taking on the brunt of childcare and home-schooling responsibilities alongside their professional work. As a result, 66% of the women surveyed also said that the crisis is having an impact on their mental health.

"I'm not sure how much longer my brain can juggle everything."

One law firm partner who took part in the survey said: "Working at home around the clock whilst all staff (apart from partners) have been furloughed and having to juggle a 4 year old and an ill husband is exhausting whilst dealing with the reality that the firm just may not survive this. I'm not sure how much longer my brain can juggle everything."

Another participant said that as a result of her firm furloughing the majority of its staff, "the only two [staff] kept at my office were the mother of a five-year-old trying to home school and myself, currently pregnant. The strain on our mental health has been outrageous."

Recent research by U.K. lawyers' mental health charity LawCare highlighted financial stresses and the possibility of being forced to return to offices as current concerns for those in the industry.

While some in the industry have recently suggested firm's embrace of remote working during the coronavirus pandemic could positively impact women, others fear that diversity initiatives will be de-prioritised as firms and companies seek to protect their bottom lines.

Fifty per cent of the First 100 Years' survey respondents fear diversity initiatives will be given less focus and funding, while earlier in May women leaders at New Law businesses signed an open letter urging general counsels to renew diversity commitments in order to maintain supplier diversity.

First 100 Years founder Dana Denis-Smith said: "I think the message to the legal profession is pretty clear: don't let the pandemic put diversity back another 100 years.

"Women expect better in exchange for the massive contribution they have been making for years. Leaders across the board should take note of the results and act.

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