Workplace bullying affects 1 in 4 lawyers, study finds

[no_hypocrisy]

https://www.reuters.com/legal/litigation/workplace-bullying-affects-1-4-lawyers-study-finds-2024-10-01/?lctg=642712004898ac6594082278&user_email=835d8ce14101fe205b926beb33ae48037228b98e5baf3dad4fcf68f0f86774c4&utm_campaign=Daily-Docket&utm_medium=Newsletter&utm_source=Sailthru&utm_term=100224

Nearly a quarter of lawyers were victims of workplace bullying within the past year, according to a large-scale survey, opens new tab of Illinois attorneys released Tuesday.

Of the more than 6,000 lawyers surveyed by the Illinois Supreme Court Commission on Professionalism, 24% said they had recently experienced bullying on the job. That rate was higher among women, racial minorities, LGBTQ+ and younger lawyers.

“Bullying by lawyers is a long-known but little-discussed problem, even though it exists in many practice settings,” reads the report, which the commission billed as one of the first studies of bullying in the legal profession.

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I worked for two male attorneys 1999 to 2002. Both in their mid-50s. I worked as a legal secretary-paralegal even though I too was a certified attorney. (I figured it was a good place to learn "the law business".)

While I did learn a lot, both could be somewhere between surly and obnoxious. Specifically, they got unduly angry and yelled. I ignored it until one day, one lawyer yelled at me for an insignificant mistake -- and then while yelling at me, he hit me hard on the upper arm. It took me overnight to realize I couldn't stay there. I would have had him prosecuted for assault, but he was the former prosecutor for that town. You don't stick around to see if it will happen again.

[Stargazer99]

1. Power seems to produce negative outcomes unless monitored and controlled

but too many people do not know how to handle power to help everyone and not just themselves. a reason to subject power to responsibility

[PuraVidaDreamin]

2. I just can't believe lateral violence seems just as robust as when I was a new nurse

34 years ago.

The other nurses on that floor should have been helping me adjust to my new roll.
There were a few mentors that were helpful but,
I didn't feel comfortable to ask some of them for nurse consult support.

Even the unit secretary was mean towards me.

She was a rather round individual-
One day her dress caught the back rest of her chair exposing her
flowery Sears and Robuck bloomers.

I approached her and whispered her name in her ear to alert her.

She whipped around at me and screamed, "WHAT!"

I thought for a second and said, "Nevermind" and walked away
in my small victory.

[NJCher]

3. The profession has

The reputation for attracting people who are overly aggressive, not very tactful, and unmotivated to find a means of settling issues without all-out war.

I have numerous friends with law degrees who refuse to practice because of this. Many have another advanced degree, like public planning, and their juris doctorate is used to write laws, deal with ordinances, etc. as part of their overall responsibilities.

Sometimes they have class gatherings and my friends who do not practice law come away from them saying they are so glad they don’t have to be with people like that every day.