Joint Managing Partner Stefanie Yuen Thio weighed in on the recent Legal Profession Sustainability Study, which has brought renewed attention to lawyer attrition and drawn interest from across the judiciary, in an article by Lianhe Zaobao.

Addressing concerns around workplace culture, bullying and long working hours, she emphasised that improving the work environment must be a priority. She noted that TSMP is committed to fostering an open and supportive culture, with initiatives such as mentorship programmes, one-on-one career development conversations and team engagement efforts aimed at strengthening internal support systems.

She also highlighted the impact of court-related pressures, observing that some younger litigation lawyers are gravitating towards arbitration. Over time, this trend could have implications for access to justice through the courts.

Looking upstream, she pointed to the need for law schools to review their admissions frameworks to better attract candidates with a genuine interest in legal practice. With AI reshaping the delivery of legal services, she noted that those who enter the profession primarily due to prestige or external pressure may be more vulnerable to burnout and attrition.