New data from the 2025 ALM Mental Health Survey offers a cautious note of progress for lawyers worldwide, including Thai professionals. While signs of improvement appear, relentless workplace pressures remain a constant challenge. The findings provide useful lessons for Thailand’s legal community as it grapples with stigma, demanding workloads, and evolving client expectations.
Globally, lawyer well-being has long been a concern. Stigma around mental illness, heavy caseloads, and substance use have been cited as systemic issues in law firms, including those in Thailand. The ALM survey, which included more than 3,100 lawyers and legal workers across firm sizes, shows modest gains in several key indicators. Depression rates fell to 33%, the lowest since 2019, and anxiety levels dipped to 68.7%, though remain high. Fewer respondents now view mental health issues and substance abuse as a “crisis level,” with 43% sharing that view—down from 2024.
Yet the data also reveals persistent stressors that Thai readers will recognize. Demand to meet billable hour targets continues to rise, with 65.5% of respondents saying such expectations harm their mental health—a four-point uptick from last year. An insider’s view from a senior partner highlights the industry’s drive for ever-increasing billable rates, which in turn elevates client demands to unsustainable levels. This echoes concerns among Thai lawyers who feel the pressure from both local and international clients to produce rapid, high-quality work.
Culturally, workplace improvements are evident but uneven. The share of attorneys who feel their work environment harms mental health dropped to 73%, a six-point improvement. Reports of drug and alcohol misuse, feelings of failure, helplessness, and detachment also declined. However, nearly half of respondents—48.4%—still experience lost motivation, and 37.4% report regular sadness. Wider societal trends also shape professional lives: more than 70% say political polarization affects their mental health, a reminder that national and regional environments influence well-being, even in professional settings in Thailand.
Encouraging signs include policy shifts within firms. Six more percentage points, bringing the share to 36%, report that they could use all of their vacation time. Additionally, 41% said their firms allow extended leave for mental health or substance abuse, up five points from the previous year. These indicators show a growing recognition of employee well-being within the legal sector.
For Thailand, the implications are direct. Thai lawyers face similar dynamics—intense caseloads, hierarchical firm cultures, and a market shaped by global client expectations. Local legal scholarship already notes these pressures, underscoring the need for culturally appropriate mental health supports. Awareness is rising, but comprehensive programs remain limited in many firms, especially outside Bangkok. The ALM findings may help accelerate change by shifting conversations away from stigma toward practical support, transparency, and prevention.
Historically, Thai legal work has emphasized seniority and long hours, contributing to burnout among younger associates and support staff. In recent years, professional bodies in Thailand have begun offering seminars on stress management and healthy work practices, yet widespread access remains a challenge, particularly for provincial firms. The path forward includes revising leave policies, normalizing conversations about mental health, and investing in wellbeing initiatives.
Looking ahead, experts emphasize that sustainable improvement requires structural reforms. Research in the legal sector points to practical measures such as manageable billing targets, routine access to counseling, peer-support networks, and leadership that prioritizes empathy. For Thailand, implementing similar reforms will require changes at both firm and industry levels. Managers should review leave provisions, foster open dialogue about mental health, and support staff through well-being programs.
Individual lawyers can take concrete steps: seek support early, use available leave, and challenge the culture of silent endurance. Thai legal education and professional associations can play a pivotal role by reducing stigma, expanding accessible resources, and modeling humane, balanced professional standards.
In sum, while high-pressure realities persist, the latest international research confirms that meaningful progress is possible when the legal profession prioritizes mental health. Thai firms and practitioners are encouraged to adapt these lessons—pursuing progressive policies, strengthening supportive cultures, and safeguarding long-term resilience and public trust.