The Safe Conversations Toolkit has been developed by MCG Consulting, in collaboration with the Law Society and voices from across the Scottish legal profession. It is a practical, easy-to-use resource grounded in the realities and needs of legal practice, where high performance and high pressure can take its toll on behaviour, judgement and wellbeing.

Officially launched to members at the Law Society’s Annual Conference in Edinburgh last month, the toolkit is designed to support everyone in the sector and organisations of all sizes, including small firms and sole practitioners.

The toolkit can be used flexibly, whenever support is needed, and will help people to:

• notice early changes in colleagues’ behaviour
• start supportive, professional conversations
• understand the boundaries of their role and when to escalate
• and navigate situations involving stress-related behaviours, including substance use, in a regulated profession.

Ben Kemp, chief executive of the Law Society of Scotland, said: “We are proud to launch the Safe Conversations Toolkit to help people approach colleagues they are concerned about with confidence and care.

“Careers in the Scottish legal profession can be rewarding, but also demanding and stressful. Equipping our members to look after themselves and their colleagues is vital.

“People are the profession’s most valuable resource and their wellbeing is our priority. The toolkit has been shaped by our members’ experiences and insights, and its launch is just the beginning. We will keep listening to our members and continue to develop the toolkit to meet their changing needs.”

Steve McCann, founder and director of MCG Consulting, said: “Changes in people’s behaviour can be gradual and strong work performance can often mask issues. Colleagues are frequently the first to notice when someone’s behaviour shifts, but they don’t know how to approach the situation and worry about getting something wrong. The gap is not care, it’s not knowing what to say. This is why we have developed the toolkit to help people understand when and how to have these conversations before things get worse.

“This isn’t about giving labels, diagnoses or solutions; it’s about noticing when something isn’t quite right, checking in and offering support without judgement. You don’t need proof of a problem to express care.”