By Dr Justine Rogers and Iwona Skladanowska -
Snapshot
- When professional interactions become difficult, lawyers need more than technical legal knowledge to respond effectively.
- Self-awareness, empathy, curiosity and clear boundaries can help practitioners navigate conflict without compromising their judgement, wellbeing or professional obligations.
- But responsibility cannot rest with individuals alone, particularly when the real problem lies in workplace systems, culture or recurring behaviour.
Lawyers have always worked in environments characterised by conflict, pressure and high stakes. Difficult interactions with clients, colleagues, supervisors, opponents and the court are an inevitable part of legal practice. What is changing is not the existence of those interactions, but the expectations surrounding how lawyers respond to them.
The legal profession is paying increasing attention to respectful professional conduct, psychosocial safety and workplace culture. At the same time, clients’ expectations are expanding, disputes are increasingly complex, and generative AI is rapidly changing legal practice. In this dynamic environment, distinctly human capabilities, including interpersonal judgement, emotional self-regulation, empathy and relationship management, are becoming increasingly important — and valuable. They enable practitioners to regulate their own responses, communicate effectively under pressure, understand the perspectives of others and, importantly, recognise when professional boundaries and limits need to be set. The ability to manage difficult interactions is therefore part of ethical and competent legal practice.
