Activist Lawyer Podcast Shines Light on Mental Health Issues in the Legal Profession with Solicitor Jonathan McKeown

Granite Podcast Studio, Newry – The latest episode of the Activist Lawyer Podcast tackles pressing but often hidden challenges in the legal profession—mental health and wellbeing.

In Episode 108, Mental Health and Wellbeing in the Legal Profession – A Personal Reflection, host Sarah Henry sits down with solicitor, business owner, and Activist Lawyer co-founder Jonathan McKeown for an open and personal conversation about his journey through stress and burnout in a successful legal practice that was also facing prolonged disciplinary proceedings.

Reflecting on his experiences with depression and mental health, Jonathan shares that his struggles may have begun much earlier than he had initially realised—possibly as far back as his teenage years.  Looking back, he now recognises that he was likely predisposed to depression, and the intense pressures of a legal career, combined with the responsibilities of running multiple businesses, only compounded challenges he faced.

And in his own inimitable style, Jonathan makes it clear that he views the ‘poacher and the gamekeeper’ roles of the Law Society to be incompatible, that keeping ‘rogues’ out of the profession doesn’t make providing support to solicitors ‘easy’, and that he feels his mental health issues were compounded by the unsuccessful and ill-fated disciplinary complaint brought by the Law Society against him and his colleagues

On the topic of burnout, Jonathan acknowledges that it’s something he encountered repeatedly throughout his career. He warns of the dangers of becoming trapped in a cycle of chronic stress:

"If you keep reaching the brink of burnout but always manage to pull back just enough, you may never actually deal with the underlying issue. It becomes a cycle of overwhelm…"

Jonathan reflects on the cumulative toll of over 30 years in the profession, the false sense of security in over-identifying with work – feeling ‘one-dimensional’ and talks of his only newly-found appreciation for the importance of building a life outside the office.

Sarah and Jonathan also explore the barriers that keep legal professionals from seeking help, and the critical role of employers and leadership in creating safer, more inclusive workplaces.

The episode not only provides reflection but serves as a call to action for the legal community to recognise mental health as a professional priority, not a personal weakness.

"This is about more than one person’s story—it’s about changing the conversation within the legal profession,’ says host Sarah Henry. ‘We need to normalise seeking help, embracing balance, and supporting one another."

Click here to download this latest episode of Activist Lawyer.

Solicitor - Jonathan McKeown

The Activist Lawyer podcast offers a platform for lawyers to share their story and journey into law and activism. Guests will discuss the challenges and highlights of their work as well as important cases, opinions on legal and political matters and will offer advice and tips for anyone interested in pursuing a career in human rights law, public interest law or criminal justice.

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