Ric StevensOpen Justice reporter·NZ Herald·7 Aug, 2026 10:02 PM5 mins to read‌The research surveyed 379 lawyers of various types and experience levels, and conducted in-depth interviews with 49 of them. Photo / NZMENew Zealand lawyers are burned out, overwhelmed and traumatised by their jobs, with many turning to drink and nearly a quarter of them thinking of quitting the profession.

A large-scale survey of hundreds of lawyers, supported by dozens of individual interviews, found many are suffering high levels of emotional exhaustion