Many top lawyers accept that brutal hours are just part of a job that offers lucrative rewards. But law firms are now embarking on a fresh round of soul-searching over their employees’ mental health, as those in the industry question whether the pay is worth the trade-off. 

The death of Pinsent Masons private equity partner Vanessa Ford last September threw top law firms’ culture of long hours into the spotlight. Ford had been working on the high-profile sale of Everton Football Club, clocking up 18-hour days ahead of her death.