Miserable lawyer

[Mummylawyer20]

Im hoping somebody can give me some advice. I started a new role in September in a personal injuries claimant firm and I keep saying I’ll give it a year but it’s getting really horrendous. The workload is absolutely crippling me and my supervisor is completely unapproachable and when I’ve asked for help it’s not given. The workplace branded itself as family friendly but in reality it’s not and I’ve had a lot of hostility from a colleague for presumably not pulling my weight because I’m part time even though I’ve never asked anybody to cover for me on my day off and my file load is equal to a full time file load.
The last few weeks have been awful and I’m constantly being yelled at and having clients complain about me when the reality is I just can’t get through the work. Every weekend I say I’ll log on and do some work to try and catch up but the weekend comes around and I can’t even get out of bed and it’s interfering with my ability to care for my daughter. I’ve been crying none stop for about 2 weeks now and struggling to even do the most basic tasks (I’m working from home so nobody can really see at least or knows how little I’m doing).
I’ve been seeing a psychologist and have an appointment with a gp tomorrow and am hoping to get a few days off sick leave but I feel like it’s not going to change what I have to go back to and everyone will gossip about why I’m off.
I’m only in my first few years of practise and wondering if I should get out now but I’m too down to even think what else I would do that pays as well and my self esteem is really low.

Get signed off with stress, start looking for another job. Are you being treated worse than colleagues because you're looking after a child? Are there any men working part time hours? Take a look and you might be able to document discrimination.

You're a lawyer, you have the tools and resources - take a breath and look at your situation from the outside. What would your advise a friend in the same situation? Do that.

And if you're really stuck, is there anyone at university you could get time with? Someone in a mentoring position? Former lecturer?

I’ve been in your position but in a different area of law (part time 4 days but with more than a full time case load). My boss didn’t give a shit either!

Law is like that though. Most lawyers are over worked and part timers never get a proper part time case load unless they’re prepared to do a very junior job. PI is notorious for heavy case loads but most of it should be automated and relatively easy to manage. 100 cases is a light workload in PI!

Any chance you could switch to a better practice area if you’re early in your career? I did a 9 month seat in PI and it was soul destroying.

Thank you for the advice. I didn’t think about approaching my uni so will see if I can get any support there. As for discrimination I’m not sure. We only have one full time male in our office and I know two other mums that worked there before me have had problems with the same colleague I did (she is young female colleague) and our boss (also female).
My firm only practises in personal injury really so I’d have to move altogether and I just assumed nobody would be recruiting during Covid. I’m wondering if the law is really for me, I do like the work itself (don’t love it) I just don’t like the stress and lack of support.

Hello. I’m a Comm Prop solicitor. What seats did you do? Would you consider moving to a different area?

I have still seen a lot of jobs advertised there always seems to be vacancies in Wills and Probate?

Get some time off. When you go back be really honest with your supervisor. Tell them exactly what you need. It still may not be what you want long run but you can plan/look in the meantime.

I did seats in wills and estates, commercial property and conveyancing. I didn’t mind commercial property - I found wills quite boring but at least not stressful. I would consider moving but I’m now paid quite well in this role and have part time hours (4 days a week). The way things are now though the extra money and part time hours don’t really matter as I don’t think I’m being a very good mum. My priorities shifted a lot since having my daughter but I also don’t want to give up a career in the law I may regret in the future and not even sure what else I’d do.