“Changing the legal work culture is going to depend on young people.”

How lawyer Eric Zheng Yu Zhang overcame his mental health struggles — and the change he wants to see in the legal industry.

A mutual friend connected me with Eric Zheng Yu Zhang after he wrote a powerful post on LinkedIn about his struggles with depression as a young lawyer.

Eric is an inspiring example of courage, working to create change and innovation within a very traditional work culture.

During our awesome conversation he shared his story, and his thoughts on what can be done to reshape the legal industry into one where lawyers and clients alike are treated with dignity and kindness.

Tell us a little about your mental health struggles as a young lawyer.

When I graduated from law school, I had very little work experience compared to most graduates. I felt passionate about law and justice, but I sent out hundreds of job applications and didn’t get a single response.

I was volunteering for a barrister who lined up a role at a defense firm for me. When I started there, I didn’t believe in myself, partly due to my lack of experience. I was extremely anxious about the smallest things. I appeared in court every day and…