In a world where remote work, technology, and AI are making work smarter, why are law firms still demanding 24x7 availability, endless all-nighters, and weekend marathons?

Why are young lawyers still working through sickness, exhaustion, burnout, and pain not because they want to, but because they’re terrified of losing their jobs?

I’ve seen colleagues work through a relative’s death. I’ve seen some log in from hospital beds, with fevers, with panic attacks. I’ve seen them pull all-nighters and still show up the next day with no acknowledgment, no recovery time. Work weekends, then dive straight into another brutal week.

It feels inhuman at this point.

Why do we still call it “dedication” when it comes at the cost of health, sleep, social life, and family?

Why is raising an issue met with silence, or worse, the threat of being fired?

And for what? A paycheck? Three vacations a year? A fleeting escape before the cycle begins again?

This isn’t resilience. It’s survival. And it’s breaking people.

Wonder what’s driving it: tradition, ego, or just greed? The kind that reduces human beings with dreams, families, and lives into nothing more than resources on a spreadsheet.

If every other industry can evolve, why can’t law?

If AI can read contracts, why can’t we read the signs of burnout?

If technology can transform business, why can’t we transform culture?

And more importantly, why are we not collectively protesting against it? Why are we still normalizing the idea that this is just how it is?

So, the real question is - will we ever stand up together and demand better? Because the system will not change, unless we do.

The simple logical answer lies the economics concept of Game Theory, all of us know that we should collectively bargain for better environment and culture, which would be the co-operative outcome, however the external factor of everyone's lives, financials conditions and reasons for working not being the same results in some people being more scared of losing their jobs than others and hence they would prefer the non-cooperative outcome for working through it while others protest and therefore this does not work out. Classic example being "A class of students being on mass bunks but the toppers and teacher's pets being present in the class" almost the situation here aswell. The only way we can improve the culture is to rise among the ranks despite these difficulties and then change the culture from within but that also has slim chances of happening as most of the people develop the thought process of "Agar humne itni mushkilon mein kaam kiya toh juniors bhi karenge".

You won't be able to change it because of competition. Lets say that you are heading a big firm, you would not be able to say no to a client even if they are being unreasonable. The second you say no, they will switch to a different firm that will agree to pull all-nighters. If you lose clients, you would not be able to pay a good compensation to your associates who will then move to another firm. This way, the practice will continue to be at the breaking point.

As an in-house counsel I do not agree that all clients demand all nighters and 24X7 availability. in fact, it is to the contrary for most clients. We do not want stretched / busy / overworked teams. We want attention to detail and senior level attention. Very often we do not give a second deal / assignment to the same team as is working on our first assignment for this reason. The trouble is perhaps that partners are not allowed to say no to work when they know about their stretched bandwidth.

In corporate, 80% boss are toxic in nature. Only way to deal is to listen the screams a few times and big a big blow back when there is crowd. This will ensure that your personality isn't taking beat all the times. Company isn't your wife therefore always look for other opportunities and play around even if it's your fault. Not saying to blame others!

One thing I hate about these partners or seniors is - Fake Corporate Emergency.
To all the partners and other senior designated people out there - don't rush your teammates for a task that has no nearby deadline. It just creates unnecessary panic and a drop in the quality of work.
If the deadline is not anytime soon, then at least provide a reasonable buffer for handling the task.