'I thought mental illness happened to others': the City law partner now leading the fight against burnout
Richard Martin knows firsthand the toll of burnout - now he's working to make things better for everyone.
Contents
Richard Martin knows better than most how tough the legal industry can be.
A former City law firm partner, he had what looked like the perfect career - big job, big salary, big future. But behind the scenes, the pressure was mounting. The relentless hours, the stress, the feeling that there was no room for failure. Until one day, everything came crashing down.
Now, he’s at the forefront of changing the way law firms think about mental health, leading the Mindful Business Charter (MBC) - a movement designed to rethink the demanding work culture that has driven many lawyers to burnout.
We sat down with him on The Non-Billable Podcast to hear his story, discuss why the industry is still getting mental health wrong - but getting much better - and what needs to change.
Listen to the full-length interview on the podcast. Episode page with links here.
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The panic attack that changed everything
Martin’s early career followed the well-worn path of many successful City lawyers. Hard work and long hours propelled him to partnership at Jones Day by his early thirties.
Alongside his career, he also took on lots of responsibilities outside the office:
“Like lots of lawyers, I was one of these people that said yes to things. So when the local school said we need a governor, I said yes, I'll do that. And when somebody else said they were setting up a local community organisation, would I be involved in that? I said, yes, and so on", Martin admits.
Yet, like many in the profession, he viewed stress as simply part of the job. Even when he noticed signs of mental strain, he brushed them aside, believing that pushing through was the only option.
That belief was shattered in 2011 when, on his way back from a family holiday in France, Martin experienced what he now knows was a severe panic attack.
At the time, he thought he was dying. “My heart was racing, my breathing was out of control, my head was screaming at me to escape,” he recalls.
He ended up abandoning his car and wandering across traffic on the motorway outside Paris before emergency services intervened.
“I had no idea what was happening to me. I just knew I couldn’t cope anymore.”
A visit to the doctor confirmed it wasn’t a heart attack. It was something Martin had never taken seriously before - his mental health.
Overnight, the capable, confident lawyer who had built a successful career and was being lined up for the managing partner role was unable to leave the house or answer the phone.
His recovery took years. And by the time he was ready to return to work - he was a partner at Speechly Bircham at the time - it was clear to him that going back to a high-intensity legal career was no longer an option.
My heart was racing, my breathing was out of control, my head was screaming at me to escape.
Lessons from the brink: rethinking lawyer well-being
Martin’s experience is not unique. The legal industry is fertile ground for burnout, yet the culture of resilience and perfectionism has made it difficult for lawyers to seek help. As he puts it:
"I thought mental illness happened to other people. I was solid and dependable. So when I was struggling, it was a shock - not just for me, but for everyone around me."
He agrees the problem starts early. Lawyers often spend their whole lives as high achievers - straight A’s at school, top universities, training contracts at the best firms. They’re not used to failing. So when they do struggle, they don’t know how to cope.
He now believes that law firms need to shift from reactive to proactive approaches to mental health. Simply offering support when lawyers are already in crisis is not enough.
Instead, firms must address the structural and cultural factors that contribute to stress- unnecessary deadlines, unrealistic client expectations and the ingrained belief that lawyers must always be available.
The Mindful Business Charter: changing the culture of law
Martin’s personal journey led him to become one of the leading voices in workplace mental health. He now spearheads the Mindful Business Charter (MBC) - a movement uniting law firms, clients and professional services organisations in an effort to reduce unnecessary workplace stress.
The charter, signed by many leading City firms and in-house legal teams, encourages firms to adopt practices that promote well-being. That covers a lot, but includes things like:
Avoiding the "Friday night drop" – Not sending non-urgent emails or last-minute demands that require weekend work.
Rethinking responsiveness – Pushing back on expectations of 24/7 availability and prioritising sustainable working patterns.
Embedding well-being into firm culture – Ensuring that policies and practices actively support lawyer well-being, rather than just offering lip service.
Are law firms really changing?
While awareness of mental health issues in law has improved, Martin is candid about the fact that real change is slow.
"We've done a great job of raising awareness over the last 10 years… but I think there's still an awful long way to go for law firms and other organisations to really address the issue in a meaningful way.”
Despite many firms signing the charter, the reality is that client pressures, ever-increasing competition from US firms in the London market, and the billable hour model continue to drive unhealthy working cultures.
Some clients, however, are now pushing back - even refusing to pay for lawyer hours recorded in the middle of the night, for example, and actively supporting healthier working arrangements.
Martin cites A&O Shearman, Pinsent Masons and Osborne Clarke as examples of leaders in the space, actively embedding well-being initiatives into their culture and the way they deliver work to clients.
Pinsents is one of his favourite examples. On a large-scale project for Lloyds - also an MBC signatory - both sides set clear ground rules on how the project would be managed, ensuring that staff well-being remained a priority throughout.
“They said: we're going to try and run this transaction in a way that obviously gets it done to time and to standard, but is also respectful of the well-being of people involved”, Martin explains.
But, nevertheless, for lasting change to occur across the profession, Martin accepts that the hierarchical structure of law firms means that senior lawyers must lead by example.
There's still an awful long way to go for law firms and other organisations to really address the issue in a meaningful way.
Advice for lawyers feeling burnt out
For lawyers who feel they are nearing burnout, Martin’s advice is clear:
Take it seriously - Ignoring warning signs can lead to long-term damage. Seek support early.
Talk to someone - Whether it's HR, a mentor or a mental health professional, discussing your struggles is absolutely essential.
Push back when needed - Many lawyers assume they have no choice but to accept unsustainable workloads. In reality, asking for support or setting boundaries can make a huge difference.
Recognise that you have options - If your firm’s culture isn’t working for you, explore other paths.
Lawyers are often guilty of closing their minds to opportunities outside the well-trodden path laid out within the structure of a traditional law firm. But there’s a world of options - other firms, alternative legal careers, in-house roles, legal tech, consultancy and even entirely new industries where their skills are highly valued.
A legal industry worth joining?
When asked what drives him, Martin shares an inspiring vision:
"When the Mindful Business Charter started, we asked ourselves, what’s the goal? The answer was simple: to create a legal profession that we would encourage our children to join."
If you’d like to learn more about the Mindful Business Charter and how law firms can create healthier working environments, visit their website here.
We want to create a legal profession that we would encourage our children to join.
Law Firm | Trainee First Year | Trainee Second Year | Newly Qualified (NQ) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Addleshaw Goddard | £52,000 | £56,000 | £100,000 |
| Akin Gump | £60,000 | £65,000 | £174,418 |
| A&O Shearman | £56,000 | £61,000 | £150,000 |
| Ashurst | £52,000 | £57,000 | £125,000 |
| Baker McKenzie | £56,000 | £61,000 | £140,000 |
| Bird & Bird | £47,000 | £52,000 | £98,000 |
| Bristows | £46,000 | £50,000 | £88,000 |
| Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner | £50,000 | £55,000 | £105,000 |
| Burges Salmon | £47,000 | £49,000 | £72,000 |
| Charles Russell Speechlys | £50,000 | £53,000 | £88,000 |
| Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton | £57,500 | £62,500 | £164,500 |
| Clifford Chance | £56,000 | £61,000 | £150,000 |
| Clyde & Co | £47,000 | £49,500 | £85,000 |
| CMS | £50,000 | £55,000 | £110,000 |
| Cooley | £55,000 | £60,000 | £157,000 |
| Davis Polk | £65,000 | £70,000 | £170,000 |
| Debevoise | £55,000 | £60,000 | £173,000 |
| Dechert | £55,000 | £61,000 | £165,000 |
| Dentons | £50,000 | £54,000 | £100,000 |
| DLA Piper | £50,000 | £55,000 | £110,000 |
| Eversheds Sutherland | £46,000 | £50,000 | £100,000 |
| Farrer & Co | £47,000 | £49,000 | £88,000 |
| Fieldfisher | £48,500 | £52,000 | £95,000 |
| Freshfields | £56,000 | £61,000 | £150,000 |
| Fried Frank | £55,000 | £60,000 | £175,000 |
| Gibson Dunn | £60,000 | £65,000 | £180,000 |
| Goodwin Procter | £55,000 | £60,000 | £175,000 |
| Gowling WLG | £48,500 | £53,500 | £98,000 |
| Herbert Smith Freehills | £56,000 | £61,000 | £135,000 |
| HFW | £50,000 | £54,000 | £100,000 |
| Hill Dickinson | £43,000 | £45,000 | £80,000 |
| Hogan Lovells | £56,000 | £61,000 | £135,000 |
| Irwin Mitchell | £43,000 | £45,000 | £76,000 |
| Jones Day | £56,000 | £65,000 | £160,000 |
| K&L Gates | £50,000 | £55,000 | £115,000 |
| Kennedys | £43,000 | £46,000 | £85,000 |
| King & Spalding | £55,000 | £60,000 | £165,000 |
| Kirkland & Ellis | £60,000 | £65,000 | £174,418 |
| Latham & Watkins | £60,000 | £65,000 | £174,418 |
| Linklaters | £56,000 | £61,000 | £150,000 |
| Macfarlanes | £56,000 | £61,000 | £140,000 |
| Mayer Brown | £55,000 | £60,000 | £135,000 |
| McDermott Will & Emery | £65,000 | £70,000 | £174,418 |
| Milbank | £65,000 | £70,000 | £174,418 |
| Mills & Reeve | £45,000 | £47,000 | £82,000 |
| Mischon de Reya | £47,500 | £52,500 | £95,000 |
| Norton Rose Fulbright | £50,000 | £55,000 | £135,000 |
| Orrick | £55,000 | £60,000 | £160,000 |
| Osborne Clarke | £54,500 | £56,000 | £94,000 |
| Paul Hastings | £60,000 | £68,000 | £173,000 |
| Paul Weiss | £55,000 | £60,000 | £180,000 |
| Penningtons Manches Cooper | £48,000 | £50,000 | £83,000 |
| Pinsent Masons | £49,500 | £54,000 | £97,000 |
| Quinn Emanuel | n/a | n/a | £180,000 |
| Reed Smith | £50,000 | £55,000 | £125,000 |
| Ropes & Gray | £60,000 | £65,000 | £165,000 |
| RPC | £46,000 | £50,000 | £90,000 |
| Shoosmiths | £43,000 | £45,000 | £97,000 |
| Sidley Austin | £60,000 | £65,000 | £175,000 |
| Simmons & Simmons | £52,000 | £57,000 | £120,000 |
| Skadden | £58,000 | £63,000 | £173,000 |
| Slaughter and May | £56,000 | £61,000 | £150,000 |
| Squire Patton Boggs | £47,000 | £50,000 | £110,000 |
| Stephenson Harwood | £50,000 | £55,000 | £100,000 |
| Sullivan & Cromwell | £65,000 | £70,000 | £174,418 |
| Taylor Wessing | £50,000 | £55,000 | £115,000 |
| TLT | £44,000 | £47,500 | £85,000 |
| Travers Smith | £54,000 | £59,000 | £120,000 |
| Trowers & Hamlins | £45,000 | £49,000 | £80,000 |
| Vinson & Elkins | £60,000 | £65,000 | £173,077 |
| Watson Farley & Williams | £50,000 | £55,000 | £102,000 |
| Weightmans | £34,000 | £36,000 | £70,000 |
| Weil Gotshal & Manges | £60,000 | £65,000 | £170,000 |
| White & Case | £62,000 | £67,000 | £175,000 |
| Willkie Farr & Gallagher | £60,000 | £65,000 | £170,000 |
| Withers | £47,000 | £52,000 | £95,000 |
| Womble Bond Dickinson | £43,000 | £45,000 | £80,000 |
Rank | Law Firm | Revenue | Profit per Equity Partner (PEP) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | DLA Piper* | £3,010,000,000 | £2,400,000 |
| 2 | Clifford Chance | £2,300,000,000 | £2,040,000 |
| 3 | A&O Shearman | £2,200,000,000 | £2,200,000 |
| 4 | Hogan Lovells | £2,150,000,000 | £2,200,000 |
| 5 | Freshfields | £2,120,000,000 | Not disclosed |
| 6 | Linklaters | £2,100,000,000 | £1,900,000 |
| 7 | Norton Rose Fulbright* | £1,800,000,000 | £1,100,000 |
| 8 | CMS** | £1,620,000,000 | Not disclosed |
| 9 | Herbert Smith Freehills | £1,300,000,000 | £1,300,000 |
| 10 | Ashurst | £961,000,000 | £1,300,000 |
| 11 | Clyde & Co | £844,000,000 | £739,000 |
| 12 | Eversheds Sutherland | £749,000,000 | £1,300,000 |
| 13 | BCLP* | £661,000,000 | £748,000 |
| 14 | Pinsent Masons | £649,000,000 | £793,000 |
| 15 | Slaughter and May*** | £625,000,000 | Not disclosed |
| 16 | Simmons & Simmons | £574,000,000 | £1,076,000 |
| 17 | Bird & Bird** | £545,000,000 | £696,000 |
| 18 | Addleshaw Goddard | £495,000,000 | Not disclosed |
| 19 | Taylor Wessing | £480,000,000 | £915,000*** |
| 20 | Osborne Clarke** | £456,000,000 | £771,000 |
| 21 | Womble Bond Dickinson | £448,000,000 | £556,000 |
| 22 | DWF | £435,000,000 | Not disclosed |
| 23 | Fieldfisher | £407,000,000 | £966,000 |
| 24 | Kennedys | £384,000,000 | Not disclosed |
| 25 | DAC Beachcroft | £325,000,000 | £700,000 |
What do City lawyers actually do each day?
For a closer look at the day-to-day of some of the most common types of lawyers working in corporate law firms, explore our lawyer job profiles:
This is a condensed version of our full length interview with Richard Martin on The Non-Billable Podcast. View the episode page here.
| Firm | London office since | Known for in London |
|---|---|---|
| Baker McKenzie | 1961 | Finance, capital markets, TMT |
| Davis Polk | 1972 | Leveraged finance, corporate/M&A |
| Gibson Dunn | 1979 | Private equity, arbitration, energy, resources and infrastructure |
| Goodwin | 2008 | Private equity, funds, life sciences |
| Kirkland & Ellis | 1994 | Private equity, funds, restructuring |
| Latham & Watkins | 1990 | Finance, private equity, capital markets |
| Milbank | 1979 | Finance, capital markets, energy, resources and infrastructure |
| Paul Hastings | 1997 | Leveraged finance, structured finance, infrastructure |
| Paul Weiss | 2001 | Private equity, leveraged finance |
| Quinn Emanuel | 2008 | Litigation |
| Sidley Austin | 1974 | Leveraged finance, capital markets, corporate/M&A |
| Simpson Thacher | 1978 | Leveraged finance, private equity, funds |
| Skadden | 1988 | Finance, corporate/M&A, arbitration |
| Weil | 1996 | Restructuring, private equity, leverage finance |
| White & Case | 1971 | Capital markets, arbitration, energy, resources and infrastructure |
| Law firm | Type | First-year salary |
|---|---|---|
| White & Case | US firm | £32,000 |
| Stephenson Harwood | International | £30,000 |
| A&O Shearman | Magic Circle | £28,000 |
| Charles Russell Speechlys | International | £28,000 |
| Freshfields | Magic Circle | £28,000 |
| Herbert Smith Freehills | Silver Circle | £28,000 |
| Hogan Lovells | International | £28,000 |
| Linklaters | Magic Circle | £28,000 |
| Mishcon de Reya | International | £28,000 |
| Norton Rose Fulbright | International | £28,000 |
Law Firm | Trainee First Year | Trainee Second Year | Newly Qualified (NQ) |
|---|---|---|---|
| A&O Shearman | £56,000 | £61,000 | £150,000 |
| Clifford Chance | £56,000 | £61,000 | £150,000 |
| Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer | £56,000 | £61,000 | £150,000 |
| Linklaters | £56,000 | £61,000 | £150,000 |
| Slaughter and May | £56,000 | £61,000 | £150,000 |
Law Firm | Trainee First Year | Trainee Second Year | Newly Qualified (NQ) |
|---|---|---|---|
| A&O Shearman | £56,000 | £61,000 | £150,000 |
| Clifford Chance | £56,000 | £61,000 | £150,000 |
| Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer | £56,000 | £61,000 | £150,000 |
| Linklaters | £56,000 | £61,000 | £150,000 |
| Slaughter and May | £56,000 | £61,000 | £150,000 |
Law Firm | Trainee First Year | Trainee Second Year | Newly Qualified (NQ) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ashurst | £52,000 | £57,000 | £125,000 |
| Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner | £50,000 | £55,000 | £105,000 |
| Herbert Smith Freehills | £56,000 | £61,000 | £135,000 |
| Macfarlanes | £56,000 | £61,000 | £140,000 |
| Travers Smith | £54,000 | £59,000 | £120,000 |
| Firm | Merger year | Known for in London |
|---|---|---|
| BCLP | 2018 | Real estate, corporate/M&A, litigation |
| DLA Piper | 2005 | Corporate/M&A, real estate, energy, resources and infrastructure |
| Eversheds Sutherland | 2017 | Corporate/M&A, finance |
| Hogan Lovells | 2011 | Litigation, regulation, finance |
| Mayer Brown | 2002 | Finance, capital markets, real estate |
| Norton Rose Fulbright | 2013 | Energy, resources and infrastructure, insurance, finance |
| Reed Smith | 2007 | Shipping, finance, TMT |
| Squire Patton Boggs | 2011 | Corporate/M&A, pensions, TMT |
Law Firm | Trainee First Year | Trainee Second Year | Newly Qualified (NQ) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ashurst | £52,000 | £57,000 | £125,000 |
| Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner | £50,000 | £55,000 | £105,000 |
| Herbert Smith Freehills | £56,000 | £61,000 | £135,000 |
| Macfarlanes | £56,000 | £61,000 | £140,000 |
| Travers Smith | £54,000 | £59,000 | £120,000 |
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