Network brings Middle East GCs vital wellbeing support

The relentless pressure of late nights, being on call 24/7 and shouldering the decision-making burden – often with next-to-no peer-level support – can make the challenges facing GCs feel all too overwhelming.

As studies continue to show, time pressures, intense workloads and limited resources are making GCs increasingly prone to burnout. Despite this, many remain reluctant to seek support, too often held back by the stigma associated with vocalising their struggles publicly and concerns such admissions could adversely affect their career progression.

GCs are increasingly being asked to do more with less. If there’s still a budget for external legal spend, outside counsel can provide a helping hand with certain, bespoke areas of expertise, but this is no replacement for in-house peer level support.

Rapidly changing regulatory and legal landscapes, AI and technology disruption, geopolitical uncertainty and resource constraints are creating highly pressured working environments where GCs and chief legal officers are routinely expected to act as both a gatekeeper and a moral compass for both the company and the board. This is raising a plethora of new ethical and strategic questions for legal heads. This constant pressure to make risk-based decisions on the right course of action for the business can take its toll.

As a former GC, I have experienced how wellbeing can take a backseat as the pressures of the job take over and result in decision fatigue, tension and sleep disruption. I also know first-hand how important it is for GCs to have a trusted space to share, learn, and recharge. Speaking to peers about the challenges we’re facing can help validate our feelings and concerns, as well as mitigate burnout.

Developing an informal peer group of female GCs was invaluable when I was working in-house, but such groups take time to establish and maintain. To date, a more formalised network that champions wellbeing amongst GCs and chief legal officers has been distinctly lacking in the Middle East.

As in many regions, complex social and cultural dynamics in the Middle East make it increasingly challenging for both men and women to discuss mental health and wellbeing in the workplace. Yet, as legal markets and regulatory regimes continue to develop rapidly across the region, the stakes for GCs are only going to get higher.

At Pinsent Masons, we have long recognised the wellbeing challenges inherent in the workplace. In 2018 we became one of the founding members of the Mindful Business Charter, an alliance established to change avoidable working practices that can cause mental health and wellbeing issues for employees. In the Middle East, we see that there’s a growing need for legal leaders across the region to connect, share experiences, prioritise their wellbeing and leverage tools to build up mental resilience.

Through our new partnership with the GC Wellbeing Network, they can now tap into the expertise and learned experiences of more than 300 senior in-house counsel already active across the network in the UK, Spain and Ireland.

Following an initial workshop in London last year and the recent launch of the Spanish chapter in Madrid, the network’s expansion to the Middle East will offer GCs from start-ups, mid-caps to large institutional investors the opportunity to take part in an interactive webinar later this month followed by the region’s first in-person event held in Dubai in January.

Like the wider network, the Middle East chapter will aim to champion a culture where wellbeing among general counsel is not only accepted but prioritised. Equipped with the right tools, we believe that general counsel, no matter their company, sector or the pressures they face, can capitalise on this network to build their resilience as leaders and ultimately improve their overall performance.

Senior legal leaders can register here for the upcoming events in the Middle East.