Big Sis Briefing: The Real Risk Isn’t on Your CV

One of the biggest reasons people stay in toxic legal workplaces is fear.

Not the day to day stress.

The CV fear. The job hopper label fear.

I hear it constantly. Juniors. Seniors. Everyone. I get it because I have lived it too.

The moment you realise you have stepped on a landmine in a workplace, you tell yourself you need to stick it out anyway. You tell yourself you need “two years minimum”. You tell yourself the short stint will ruin your chances. You tell yourself you can handle it.

Lawyers are talented at suffering longer than they should. I used to be proud of mine. Looking back now, I am shocked at what I accepted. Some of it was disgusting. Some of it is illegal by today’s standards. But I stayed because I was afraid of how it would look.

So here is the part most people skip.

You actually need to be super practical. You also need to live in line with your values.

When you ignore your values, you end up disappointed in yourself. You end up anxious. You end up burnt out. Sometimes your body forces the exit anyway.

The fear is always about what other people will think. The imaginary hiring manager. The recruiter who might judge a short stint. The partner who might raise an eyebrow at six months on a CV.

But most senior lawyers can read between the lines. They know the reputations. They understand the difference between tough feedback and the slow erosion of your confidence.

I know some hiring managers push the loyalty line. Hiring is expensive, training takes time and turnover hurts teams.

Here is an alternate view.

If a workplace burns through people, the loyalty issue sits with the environment. Not the person who leaves.

Good employers want people who stay because they want to be there. Not people who stay because they are scared to update their LinkedIn.

And if you are early in your career, you might not have the network or the insight to avoid every red flag. Sometimes you step on a mine. You do your research. You ask around and you can still land in a bad culture.

Once you are in, you have control over one thing.

Your response.

What are you willing to accept.

Will things improve? What support would you need to stay? Is this a harm minimisation strategy you can implement?

Or is it time to make a plan and protect yourself.

None of this is easy when your confidence is already chipped away. Psychological safety is still misunderstood. Legislation is improving but change is slow and people are hurting right now. They need practical tools, not theory.

This is at the very heart of why I wrote my new Guide.

It breaks down what is normal and what is not.

It helps you work out whether this is tough feedback or unhealthy culture.

It gives you scripts, reflection prompts, planning tools and clear next steps.

It helps you take some of your power back.

Not everyone can walk out tomorrow. Financial realities matter too. But everyone can make a plan.

Everyone can take steps that bring them back into alignment with what they value.

If you are in one of these workplaces, this is not about blame.

This is about clarity.

This is about your health.

This is about your long term career.

Short stints do not ruin careers.

Unchecked toxicity does.

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If this hit a little close, the next step is simple. Get the Guide. It will help you work out what is normal, what is not, and what to do next. You do not need to stay stuck. You deserve a workplace that does not harm you.