This award highlights organisations across Leeds who are taking practical, people-centred steps to improve workplace wellbeing — not through grand gestures, but by embedding care, openness and support into everyday working life. Levi Solicitors stood out for exactly this reason.
Led by Practice Manager, Janet Babington, their approach focuses on creating a culture where people feel able to bring their whole selves to work, take time when they need it, and talk openly about how they’re feeling. From Mental Health First Aid training and suicide prevention learning, to initiatives such as Tech Time Out Tuesday and even a communal jigsaw, the emphasis is on connection, balance and shared responsibility for wellbeing.
The nomination that led to Levi Solicitors being selected speaks to the impact of this work — noting increased morale and happiness across the team as a result of the changes made.
Below, we share the nomination in full, followed by Janet’s reflections on Levi Solicitors’ wellbeing journey so far, the realities of supporting mental health in legal work, and why sharing learning across organisations and sectors is such an important part of improving workplace wellbeing city-wide.
Nomination:
“Levi Solicitors are constantly working on their staff wellbeing offering. Practice Manager, Janet Babington, leads the wellbeing programme and has recently trained as a Mental Health First Aider in order to provide the best care for the team. She also attends regular training, including the suicide prevention session in September. Internally she promotes bringing your whole self to work and an open-door policy, which many of the team take advantage of. She runs wellness activities including a communal jigsaw and activities for World Mental Health Day and Tech timeout Tuesday. Janet (and Levi) take their staff’s mental health and wellbeing very seriously, and morale and happiness has increased since changes have been made. We are proud to continue to strive to improve.
Congratulations Levi Solicitors LLP on winning the Mindful Employer of the Quarter award. How does it feel to win and read your nomination?
Thank you for this award I am very proud to have received this. We have been striving to improve our wellbeing for all of our staff and to create a welcoming environment for all.
Janet Babington, Practice Manager at Levi Solicitors LLP
Tell us a bit about you and your role at Levi Solicitors.
I am the Practice Manager and have worked for Levi for 26 years. I have been Practice Manager since 2007. My role is very varied and includes recruitment, facilities management, supervision of admin staff and of course our staff morale and wellbeing.
Why is mental health important to you? (as an individual and as business)
I believe that if people are in the best of health, be that physical health or mental health, they will be able to perform at their best. This is important for work but equally as important away from work. Our culture at Levi has changed a lot in the last few years and we strive to improve all the time. It is important for staff to feel happy and supported and to be able to talk about anything that is concerning them at any time.
Where did Levi Solicitors start its mental health journey?
I think we have always been sensitive to mental health. I’ve been doing my role for a long time, and I believe that I have always been approachable and have often had staff come to me for advice, just to talk about things or to ask for support. We have been working hard specifically on our culture and staff happiness for the past few years.
What aspects of legal work do you think are most relevant when considering supporting employee wellbeing at Levi Solicitors?
Legal work can be quite pressurised. There can be tight deadlines, some clients might be require extra care, and at times there are heavy workloads. We know that stress, anxiety, overwhelm and burnout are not uncommon in law firms, so we always bear this in mind.
For our private client lawyers, they also act for recently bereaved families and people in end of life care, which brings its own wellbeing challenges.
We are lucky at Levi to have a team that supports each other and works together, especially when things get tough, and I am proud support the team’s wellbeing.
Tell us a bit more about the communal jigsaw mentioned in the nomination and also about Tech Time out Tuesdays.
Levi solicitor’s communal jigsaw
We started having communal jigsaws earlier this year. The jigsaw is in a central location that is available to all staff (we also have one at our Moortown branch office). We allow staff to take a few minutes away from their desks to join in and complete the jigsaw as a team effort. Once they are complete, we start a new one. Our jigsaws are purchased either new or from charity shops. And once they have been completed, we donate them back to charity for someone else to enjoy.
We took time out on Tech Time out Tuesday to allow staff an hour away from their desk, during their working day to take part in a tech-free activity. These included colouring sheets, our jigsaw (we were trying to complete a particularly complicated one), quiz sheets, a cuppa and a chat and quiet time.
You became a Mindful Employer in 2023. Why did the business decide to sign the Mindful Employer Charter?
As part of our ongoing wellbeing provision and to ensure our staff know we are committed to the journey. The support and training that comes with being a Mindful Employer has really helped us embed good practice in wellbeing and mental health.
Employees enjoying a Walk at Works
What are you most proud of in terms of Levi Solicitor’s approach to mental health at work?
I am proud of all of our staff getting involved in our wellbeing activities, I am especially proud of our Partners for embracing employee wellbeing and allowing me and my team to get involved in things like Tech Time out Tuesday.
What are your priorities for the next 6 months in terms of mental health at work?
To continue to provide support for our staff and to ensure their working environment is the best it possibly can be.
What would you say to other local businesses considering joining
Activities shared with the team for World Mental Health Day 2025
the Leeds Mindful Employer Network?
Do it, what have you got to lose? It can help give you ideas on how to improve your mental health and wellbeing offering, and support to make it happen. Mental health is so important, awareness is growing and the more people that are able to spot signs of poor mental health early the better. Positivity breeds positivity but sometimes an ear to listen is enough.
Thank you so much to Janet for contributing to this blog on behalf of Levi Solicitors LLP.
Find out more about becoming a Mindful Employer Charter Signatory here.
Check out our 10 steps toolkit for building a mentally healthy workplace here.
