Ms Howard said her appointment showed Clayton Utz's "proactive commitment" to helping solve an industry-wide problem.

The industry's focus on hours has long been cited by lawyers as a big cause of stress, as have unreasonable client demands and the high-pressure environment of law firms and courts.

Emma Howard will look into the hours billed by lawyers struggling with their mental health. Peter Braig

Ms Howard said she would look into the billing hours of lawyers who come to her with concerns about their mental health but said there were "quite varied environmental factors that can contribute".

She made no promises that hours would improve as a result of her scrutiny, but said she would ensure support was offered to those coming off long matters.

"It's [also] about acknowledging at times that [some] matters are going to involve very long hours, and supporting [staff] through that. Then at the end, they're tired and need a break ... so [we'll look at] those protective factors," she said.

Law firms have come under pressure over work hours this month, and have claimed legal loopholes mean they do not have to comply with new Fair Work rules to record the hours of employees covered by an award and then reconcile those with pay annually.

Graduate lawyers and legal support staff are covered by the Legal Services Award but admitted solicitors are not.


Clayton Utz said although it believed the rules would not apply to them, they would "closely monitor hours worked by our LSA employees and adjust existing pay arrangements as necessary".

Ms Howard said part of her role would include supporting graduates' mental health.

"We plan to refine the way the graduate program is run. Going from university to a law firm is a big and new transition, so we will provide support through that," she said, pointing to an "early intervention framework" as one means of doing so.

Herbert Smith Freehills also has a psychologist on staff, who offers appointments to lawyers one day a week. Ms Howard will not act as a psychologist to individual staff but instead work with management to improve the firm's approach to mental health issues.

Mental health champions

The appointment of psychologists suggests firms are turning to experts to help with mental health rather than the previous approach of training existing staff.

Clayton Utz has more than 200 "mental health champions", for example, who are firm employees and partners who have undertaken mental health training.

Ms Howard plans to work with them to ensure they offer "consistent and standardised mental health first-aid responses".

King & Wood Mallesons also has "people champions", a system it introduced after a WorkSafe Victoria investigation into employee fatigue last year.

The 53 "champions" are mostly non-partner seniors who have volunteered to keep an eye out for issues of staff wellbeing.