Want to be happier at work — and build a legal career that actually works for you?
Be a Happy Lawyer® is a 6-month training and coaching programme for early-career lawyers who want to get ahead, feel better, and find more fulfilment — without burning out or losing themselves along the way.
Designed by lawyers and insider experts from leading firms, this small-group programme gives you the tools, insight, and support to thrive in your career and enjoy your life. You’ll develop the mindset, strategies, and clarity that many take years to figure out — if they ever do.
Whether you’re feeling stuck, unsure if law is for you, or simply want to get more from the path you’ve worked so hard for, this is your space to reset, refocus, and move forward with confidence.
Join the January 2026 cohort
Does this sound like you?
You’ve worked hard to get here — but now that you’re in the job, it’s not what you imagined.
The pressure is relentless. The expectations are impossible. And you are left to figure it all out alone – even when you are drowning.
You care deeply and want to do well, but you’re stuck second guessing yourself, unsure if you are doing enough or whether you even belong. You’re told to “take ownership”, but no one shows you how. You feel like you are falling behind, even when you are giving it everything – and no one talks about how hard it really is.
Your personal life is suffering. Feedback is inconsistent. Praise is rare. You’re expected to be available 24/7, even when you are sick - and still be grateful. You’re exhausted, anxious, and scared one misstep will define your future.
Some days you wonder if it’s you — but deep down, you know it’s not about your ability. It’s the system.
You’re not weak. You’re not failing. You’re operating in a culture that rewards burnout and treats vulnerability as a weakness.
If you’ve lost sight of the confident, capable person you used to be — you’re not alone. And you don’t have to keep going like this. There is a better way to build a successful legal career, one that’s ambitious, healthy and sustainable.
The solution: Be a Happy Lawyer®
Be a Happy Lawyer® is a 6-month small-group programme designed for early career lawyers who want to feel better, think more clearly, and move forward with purpose.
This isn’t about toxic positivity or quick fixes. It’s about equipping you with the space, tools, and insight to understand yourself, and build a successful, fulfilling career.
With the expert guidance of a facilitator who has extensive experience in leading law firms, and the support of a small group of peers, you’ll clarify your goals and accelerate towards them. You’ll find a safe place for open and adult conversations — and a masterclass with the sole purpose of helping you get to where you want to be.
This programme will help you find sustainable success in the career you’ve worked so hard for. You’ll develop the insight, strategies, and skills needed to thrive, and avoid the costly mistakes that so many make:
Take control of your path with a personalised plan built around your strengths, values, and goals
Set healthy boundaries, get the feedback you need, and manage upwards with confidence
Identify what’s holding you back – and learn what it really takes to thrive in law
Build self-leadership, confidence, and connection – with the support of a cohort of peers, an expert facilitator, and tools you can actually use
You’ll still be ambitious. You’ll still be a lawyer. You’ll just be clearer, stronger — and happier.
Choose the support that suits you best
Standard plan
Who it’s for
Early-career lawyers who want to feel clearer, more confident, and more in control of their career — and are ready to invest in themselves with the support of a small group and expert facilitator.
£2,995+VAT
Coaching plan
Includes access to eight sessions, the toolkit, Strengthscope® report, Happy Lawyer plan, WhatsApp support, and 12 months’ access to the Be A Happy Lawyer® resource page.
Also includes eight hours of 1-2-1 coaching
£5,995+VAT
A feel for who we are
We're Arrisan, the natural home for those facing a big moment at work.
We combine expertise in employment law, leadership and HR, with deep hands-on experience. Our legal rigour with insider insight helps people rise to their challenges, whether positive or negative.
From years of handling complex issues for global leaders, we know where the opportunities and pitfalls really are. This means we can help you achieve positive outcomes at pivotal moments, with high empathy and engagement.
Our unique and powerful tools fill skills gaps at testing times for organisations, managers, and individuals. They instil the confidence needed to prevent problems and create environments where great people achieve great results.
This programme is essential. I already knew a lot about the topics, and wondered how much more I could learn. The answer turned out to be 'a lot.' The fact that the programme is from people deep inside the industry makes all the difference. It's simply impossible to learn what you'll learn here elsewhere. You will get clarity and skills in vital areas that no firm will tell you or, in my experience, external experts can tell you because they don't truly understand the legal industry.
Associate, US Firm
Meet the facilitators
Graham Browning
Graham studied Law at Cambridge, supervised Company Law there, was a trainee solicitor at Clifford Chance and an employment Associate at Freshfields before moving in house at the firm. He had a blend of people and legal responsibilities there for 20 years and was the Global Head of People Performance and Employee Relations, with responsibility for appraisals, associate downsizing, up-or-out, conduct issues, grievances, wellbeing cases, the firm’s ‘Lawyer of the Future’ programme and Being Freshfields culture reset. He was the first person at his level to work part time/hybrid and set up the Parents’ Network. He was on faculty for a Stephen Lawrence Charitable Foundation diversity and mobility initiative. He was then a director at an inclusion and behaviour consultancy. He has an MSc in Organisational Behaviour and is a business coach.
Martin Hill
Martin studied Psychology with Cognitive Science at UCL, and has a Masters in Industrial Relations & Personnel Management from the London School of Economics. He is a specialist in Learning & Development in law firms, starting at Linklaters but mostly at Freshfields. He was the Head of Learning & Organisational Development in Asia (where he is based), before becoming the firm’s Global Head of Learning & Development. During his years of global leadership, he led the firm’s L&D response to a range of profound business and social changes, including Covid, the response to the murder of George Floyd and business transformations. He has designed and led associate and partner programmes and been a mentor/coach to many. He has also developed programmes to support female lawyers, and business planning processes for associates.
What we’ll cover
Over six months you’ll take a big step towards long-term career fulfilment. Think of it as a training seat devoted to lasting career satisfaction.
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Goal setting
Happiness science, and its implications
Happy lawyer research applications
How we will work together
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Using strengths for career success
Your unique strengths and drainers
Capitalising on your strengths
What to do about your potential derailers
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Your motivating needs and risk factors
The core values that guide you
Your purpose and what matters most
Your life vision
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What the business model means for you
How to be visible and valued
How to know where you really stand
Red flags and how to avoid career regret
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Clarifying responsibilities
Understanding the key situational factors
The drivers of sustainable success
Managing your wellbeing day-to-day
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The different dimensions of performance
How to accelerate your progression
How to get the feedback you need
How to manage upwards and intergenerationally
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How to stay in control
How to spot and stop slippery slopes
How to deal with challenging behaviour
How to handle high-risk situations
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Taking stock
Consolidating your progress
Filling any gaps
Continuing your journey
Who is it for?
The programme is designed for early years lawyers who want to create, sustain or regain a deeply satisfying career. It is especially for those who are too busy being unhappy to spare the average of one hour a week it would take to improve their life. The programme will benefit you, whatever you do long-term. It is intended for anyone in these roles:
Associates, typically up to 3 years’ standing
Junior in-house lawyers
Trainees
Solicitor Apprentices
Paralegals
More fulfilment at work starts here
The training is very unique and hugely beneficial. Even though I had previously attended training on some of the topics, the way it is done on the programme is very different and much more valuable. The toolkit that accompanies each session is a goldmine. As a result of the training, I’ve made some changes that are going to make a big difference. I’ve agreed with my team that I’ll do more of the work that suits me, and less of the work that drains me, even though I am technically good at it.
Associate, global firm
Work out what you want and take control
Few of us get taught how to manage our careers, and many make choices based on inadequate information. Take control of your thinking, your boundaries and your direction to aim for career satisfaction.
Get clarity and know where you stand
Information mismatch between you and your firm can be a real problem, lulling some into a false sense of security and needlessly worrying others. We’ll help you see the wood for the trees.
Come through the challenges, stronger
Our unique and powerful tools help you get the moments that matter right. Whether your challenge is to get ahead, enjoy your work-life more, find your direction, survive your next review, or to get out of a shark tank, we can help.
Design a plan to get what you want
Session by session you’ll create the plan you need to get to the place that your effort and integrity deserve. Your true strengths, needs and interests will be at the heart of your success.
Tap into a powerful support network
Busyness and overthinking are isolating, and it can be hard to find people who understand with no vested interest. You’ll have a network of allies from different firms who can offer support and insight. You’ll also have an expert guide.
Play to your strengths
and be energised
Authentic happiness happens when we play to our strengths. Just because we’re good at something doesn’t mean it’s right for us, however much it suits others. You’ll be crystal clear about your strengths, and how to avoid career regret.
What’s included?
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You’ll have access to eight two-hour online sessions covering the essential topics. There are up to 12 people per cohort, no more than three per firm. Each cohort’s facilitator will lead each session and encourage you in your work. The sessions will include a mix of content and whole group and small group discussion.
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Each session is accompanied by resources which bring together the best of what’s out there and Arrisan’s uniquely practical tools. You’ll have access to exclusive Be A Happy Lawyer® online resources for 12 months in case you can’t make a session or want a refresher.
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You will complete the Strengthscope® psychometric to get a detailed understanding of your energising strengths and your potential derailers. We will return to this time and again, in order to find your unique way forward. Strengthscope® is the only strengths psychometric approved by the British Psychological Society.
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The programme builds your awareness and skillset. You’ll gain a deeper understanding of yourself, your colleagues and your situation and capture it in your personal Happy Lawyer plan. This resource will help you move in a direction that’s right for you.
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Sharing an experience with others is a powerful part of achieving what you want. You’ll find support, understanding and connections with people going through similar challenges. We strongly encourage participants to connect with each other outside and beyond the programme.
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We know things come up between sessions, so you’ll have access to a WhatsApp group for sharing thoughts, questions and content.
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If you want to go deeper, there’s the option of personal coaching to complement the rest of the programme. You can have eight hours of 1-to-1 time to take you to the next level.
My cohort was amazing. The connection and community we formed made it easy to be open. It was great to have the support of people who are in the same spot as me at other firms, together with people who are happy in areas that I find difficult. The sessions and resources are of the highest quality, and I had some big ‘a-ha’ moments. Above all, I now know that it’s possible to enjoy a career in this demanding industry, and that’s a gamechanger.
Associate, international firm
What’s your challenge?
My challengeI don't enjoy my jobMy needs come lastI want to progressI'm worried out the futureColleagues are a problemWhy am I doing this job?This isn’t what I signed up forThe treadmill wipes me outI have no controlShould I stay or should I go?I've no-one to talk toI don't fit in hereMy goalLook forward to MondaysDue recognition and rewardDo more of what mattersFuture-proof my careerHandle tricky behaviours wellMaximise my controlMake smart changesAlign my work and purposeProtect my wellbeingMake wise movesA supportive place to thinkA place where I belongThe Be A Happy Lawyer® story
Be A Happy Lawyer® was conceived during a fruitless search for such help when I really needed it. At the time, someone said that they had never met a happy lawyer. On that measure, things don’t seem to have got much better since then. We’ve more than 50 years’ experience of the secret inside of law, and have seen the difference between those who thrive and those that struggle. We’ve condensed a wealth of knowledge into a programme that puts practical solutions into the palm of the hand of anyone who wants them, when they need them. Well, almost everyone - see ‘who’s it not for’ below.
Our goal is clarity. Clarity on your strengths. Clarity on your situation. Clarity on what to focus on and how. What to do and what not to do at moments that matter. Clarity on what obstacles there may be and how to overcome them. Clarity on how the system works and how to make it work better for you. Clarity on the tools that will accelerate your progress and save you a tonne of strife. Such clarity enables you to focus where it counts. You will be ready to grow your career in the direction you want, with justified confidence. Imagine a career of maximum happiness, fulfilment and success. How great would that be?
This programme was designed around your needs, independent of law firm input. That said, Be A Happy Lawyer® is in the interests of everyone who believes in health, happiness and high performance.
Do you like what you’re doing?
Would you do it some more? Or
Will you stop once and wonder
What you’re doing it for?
Nick Drake, Hazey Jane I
Who’s it not for?
Be A Happy Lawyer® is inclusive. You do not have to fit into a certain demographic, and you can sign up when suits you. There is one exception. We have not built this to increase toxicity in law, meaning:
Untrustworthy behaviour | We want a safe space for people to talk openly about sensitive matters. Trust and confidentiality are paramount, as they are with client work. Look elsewhere if you can’t be trusted with what is said in the sessions or our content.
Bad behaviour | The programme is designed to maximise support based on mutual respect and equality. If you operate on a different basis, then this programme isn’t for you. We’re not going to help you rise up just so you can punch down.
Autumn 2025
(UK time)
Fridays, 8am to 10am UK time, with Graham
Individual discovery call before session 1
Session 1 5 September
Session 2 12 September
Session 3 3 October
Session 4 7 November
Session 5 5 December
Session 6 9 January 2026
Session 7 6 February
Session 8 27 February
Autumn 2025
(Hong Kong time)
Fridays, 8am to 10am HK time, with Martin
Individual discovery call before session 1
Session 1 [12] September
Session 2 [19] September
Session 3 [10] October
Session 4 [14] November
Session 5 [12] December
Session 6 [16] January 2026
Session 7 [13] February
Session 8 [6] March