2024 Edition

Satisfied lawyers (-3 points)

79% of respondents are generally satisfied, which remains a very high score and is to be welcomed. However, there is a slight decline compared to 2023 and 2022. The score is the same as for 2021.

The working atmosphere within the legal department has dropped very slightly (-1 point) but the values remain high (more than 8 out of 10 lawyers are satisfied!).

Lawyers even more satisfied with the face-to-face/teleworking ratio (+5 points)

The face-to-face/teleworking ratio satisfies 85% of lawyers and is progressing significantly with +5 points compared to 2023 and compared to 2021 this is a total increase of 14 points!

Lawyers who, for many of them, are expecting better remuneration, better recognition and prospects for advancement.

53% of respondents are generally satisfied with their remuneration, a stable figure. Regarding career prospects, it should be noted that despite the variations between 2021 and 2024, for the past 4 years we have had around 6 out of 10 lawyers who are negative about their career prospects, which is a high figure. The same observation applies to appreciation at work: 3 out of 10 lawyers feel they are not recognized for the work they do!

Many lawyers still carry a significant mental load, even if we note a change (- 4 points), or a situation of overwork (30%).

Nearly 8 out of 10 lawyers report that they are carrying a significant mental load, a figure that nevertheless marks a slight shift this year. This is a topic of particular interest for the coming years, especially since nearly 20% still give the maximum score, indicating that they "absolutely agree" with the observation that their mental load is significant.

Particular attention should be paid to the 30% of respondents who say they currently consider themselves to be in a situation of burnout!

Harassment and discrimination

9% of lawyers believe they have experienced sexual harassment in their careers, 43% moral harassment, and 28% discrimination. Like any other corporate population, lawyers are not immune to harassment and discrimination. It must be a priority for legal departments to reduce these figures in the coming years.

AI and corporate lawyers: digital acculturation

50% of lawyers have already used ChatGPT-type generative AI for professional reasons, which is much higher than the 17 to 22% of active people in France (all professions combined). This is a welcome development! 20% of lawyers have used an AI tool dedicated to legal professions. These are significant figures demonstrating legal professionals' support for this new technology, especially since 9 out of 10 lawyers, or 8 out of 10 lawyers for AI dedicated to legal professions, have a positive or very positive experience using it!

Also very positive, 8 out of 10 lawyers consider that AI will help their legal department to better accomplish its missions and just as many (8 out of 10) consider that AI will have a positive impact on their personal work.

For a large number of lawyers, AI is not a threat to their jobs and generally lawyers consider themselves "enthusiastic" about this technology which is even considered by many of them as an "opportunity".