Chief Executive - LawCare

LawCare is the mental health charity for the legal sector, providing free, confidential emotional support and information to people working in law across the UK, the Channel Islands, and the Isle of Man. While our primary focus is on direct support services, we also play a leading role in advocating for improved mental health practices within legal workplaces and driving cultural transformation through education, training, and research. Established in 1997, we have spent almost 30 years supporting legal professionals by offering a safe, confidential, and non-judgemental space to talk, whether individuals are experiencing day-to-day pressures or more complex, enduring challenges.

Our team of Champions, over 100 volunteers, and staff bring lived experience of the legal sector, enabling us to provide informed, empathetic support grounded in a deep understanding of the profession’s unique demands. We serve all branches of the legal community, including barristers, solicitors, in-house teams, chartered legal executives, and business and support staff. From early-career professionals facing bullying or imposter syndrome to senior leaders managing risk, regulatory pressures, or professional isolation, we are a trusted and independent source of support.

In addition to our direct support services - including helpline, live online chat, and email support - we provide peer support and maintain a substantial, regularly updated online library of resources, including articles, personal stories, research, and multimedia content designed to promote mental health awareness and resilience across the sector. We also deliver training on mental wellbeing, management and supervision, vicarious trauma, and the new SRA workplace behaviour standards, and offer online sessions for legal workplaces and organisations to explain the support we provide.

By combining frontline service delivery with sector-wide advocacy, LawCare is uniquely positioned at the intersection of individual wellbeing and organisational cultural change. We are supported by a strong, capable team and a committed Board of Trustees, enabling us to continue making a meaningful impact across the legal profession.

The Role

LawCare is seeking an inspiring and values-led Chief Executive to lead the charity into its next phase of development at a pivotal moment for the legal profession. As the public face and strategic leader of the organisation, the Chief Executive will champion LawCare’s mission - ensuring the continued delivery of high-quality, confidential support services while strengthening its voice and influence across a rapidly evolving and increasingly commercial mental health landscape. This is an exciting opportunity to build on strong foundations, guiding a respected and independent charity through a period of significant sector change. Working closely with staff, volunteers, funders and partners, the Chief Executive will drive sustainable growth, deepen impact, and help shape a more compassionate and mentally healthy legal culture for the future.

Key Responsibilities

• Strategic Leadership & Impact
  • Lead delivery of LawCare’s forthcoming strategy (2026 onwards), translating vision into measurable impact.
  • Ensure LawCare sharpens its positioning and messaging in a crowded mental health marketplace.
  • Balance direct support services, research, education and influencing work to maximise impact.
  • Identify what the charity should prioritise and where it should collaborate rather than deliver directly.
• External Relations & Sector Influence
  • Act as the primary ambassador and spokesperson for LawCare across the legal sector in the UK, the Channel Islands, and the Isle of Man.
  • Build and maintain senior relationships with professional bodies, regulators, law firms and chambers, legal educators, funders and charitable trusts.
  • Speak regularly at conferences, sector events, roundtables and award ceremonies.
  • Build alliances to influence policy, regulation and workplace practice around mental health and wellbeing.
  • Position LawCare as the authoritative, evidence-informed voice on mental health in law.
• Service Oversight & Quality
  • Ensure the continued delivery of high-quality, confidential helpline and peer support services.
  • Maintain robust safeguarding, confidentiality and data governance practices.
  • Oversee volunteer recruitment, training and engagement.
  • Ensure services evolve in response to emerging issues (e.g., stress, anxiety, workplace conflict, regulatory pressure, AI-related disruption).
• Financial Sustainability & Governance
  • Lead financial planning and sustainability, working closely with the Treasurer and Board.
  • Manage relationships with core professional body funders and diversify income streams.
  • Develop compelling funding cases and annual pitches to key stakeholders.
  • Strengthen reserves and long-term financial resilience.
  • Ensure strong governance, compliance and risk management.
  • Support and work closely with the incoming Chair and a refreshed Board.
• Research, Education & Prevention
  • Build on the impact of the Life in the Law research programme.
  • Promote preventative approaches for firms and educators.
  • Strengthen LawCare’s role in vocational education and regulatory conversations.
  • Ensure research informs policy influence and funding opportunities.
• Organisational Leadership
  • Lead, support and develop a small, experienced and fully remote team.
  • Foster a culture of trust, collaboration, wellbeing and accountability.
  • Provide clarity and reassurance during a period of leadership transition and financial strengthening.
  • Ensure operational efficiency and effective use of technology in a remote environment.

The Person

LawCare is seeking a credible, strategic and values-driven leader with a deep understanding of the legal profession and the pressures shaping it today. You will bring senior leadership experience, strong commercial and financial acumen, and the ability to balance operational excellence with sector-wide influence. An authentic and compelling ambassador for mental health and wellbeing, you will be an exceptional communicator who builds trust with ease. Emotionally intelligent, resilient and grounded, you will combine empathy with clarity and conviction, guiding the organisation confidently while remaining steadfast in your commitment to improving mental health across the legal community.

Professional Background

• Prior professional experience in the legal sector is required. Experience working in a qualified or regulated professional role is desirable.
• Deep, intrinsic understanding of the culture, pressures and structural dynamics of the profession.
• Senior leadership experience with responsibility for strategy, people and budgets.

Leadership & Influence

• Credible, visible and compelling leader with presence.
• Exceptional communicator - confident public speaker and strong writer.
• Knowledge of mental health systems, workplace wellbeing or addiction support.
• Able to influence senior stakeholders and bring sceptical audiences “on the journey.”
• A credible ambassador for mental health and wellbeing - knowledge of mental health systems, workplace wellbeing or addiction support.
• Comfortable operating at Board level.

Organisational Capacity

• Experience managing and motivating high-performing teams (ideally remote).
• Financial acumen, including budget oversight and income generation.
• Fundraising experience, particularly with trusts, foundations or membership bodies.
• Ability to balance operational delivery with strategic influence.
• Skilled at prioritisation in resource-constrained environments.

Personal Qualities

• Authentic commitment to mental health and wellbeing.
• Emotionally intelligent, empathetic and values-driven.
• Resilient and calm under pressure.
• Able to navigate sensitive conversations with discretion and diplomacy.
• Experience within the charity or not-for-profit sector.
• Experience working with regulators or professional bodies.
• Understanding of research commissioning or evidence-led advocacy.

Further information

For further information about LawCare, the scope of the role and the person specification, please download the Candidate Briefing Pack.

How to Apply

If you are interested in this exciting opportunity, please provide the following with your application:

• An up to date CV, with the details of two referees (we will not contact them without your prior permission).
• A supporting statement outlining how you meet the criteria set out in the Person Specification, along with your motivation for applying for the role.

If you would like to have a confidential discussion about the role, you can contact Melissa Baxter on 07789 985 229 / melissa.baxter@russam.co.uk.

Closing date for applications: Monday 30th March 2026

Preliminary interviews with Russam: Wednesday 8th & Thursday 9th April 2026

Interviews with LawCare: Week commencing 20th April 2026

We look forward to receiving your application.