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'Work pressure' behind suicide of City lawyer
Danny Brierley15 Jan 2009
A SENIOR lawyer whose body was pulled from the Thames is believed to have killed herself because she was under pressure at work.
Catherine Bailey, a mother of three, is thought to have taken her own life after telling her husband Neil Ashman that she felt under stress.
Her funeral took place yesterday - five days after the 41-year-old disappeared from the City offices of law firm SJ Berwin in Queen Street Place, where she was a litigation partner.
An urgent appeal for information about her whereabouts was issued by police after she failed to return to her De Beauvoir Town home.
Her body was found the next day close to Richmond Bridge.
Police said Ms Bailey's death was not being treated as suspicious. A source said: "We believe she killed herself. She had spoken to her husband about being under pressure at work. It is an awful tragedy for her family and friends."
Her husband is thought to be a consultant who specialises in kidney treatment at the Royal London hospital.
They have three daughters under six and lived in a £1million townhouse in a tree-lined street, where dozens of mourners gathered following a private service for family and friends.
Ms Bailey joined SJ Berwin in 1995 after graduating from the University of Cape Town three years earlier. She was qualified to practise law in England and South Africa.
Dr Ashman also studied at the University of Cape Town.
Ms Bailey advised major corporations, banks and hedge funds but the global financial crisis is thought to have led to a bigincrease in litigation from investors who had lost money.
Ms Bailey also acted for Tesco Personal Finance Ltd in proceedings issued by the Office of Fair Trading that are now on appeal to the House of Lords.
Ralph Cohen, a managing partner of SJ Berwin, paid tribute to "an exceptional lawyer", adding: "We are deeply shocked and distressed by Catherine's death. She was hugely popular with her colleagues and clients. Our thoughts are with her family at this very sad time." A Scotland Yard spokeswoman said: "We were called at 5.50pm on Saturday to reports of a body of a woman discovered in the River Thames at Richmond. She was pronounced dead at 6.50pm. Police are treating the death as non-suspicious.
"She was last seen leaving her place of work in Queen Street Place at 2.10pm on Friday. She had indicated to her husband that she felt under pressure at work."
Reader views (29)
My heartfelt condolences to the lady’s husband, family and friends.
- A Stranger, Northamptonshire, UK, 01/08/2009 21:57
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It's a terrible waste of a life, however perhaps a learning curve for all of us. We all need to have a balance in life! Work is only one part of us, its not all of us. You must follow your heart and do what makes you happy. It's not all about being successful and earning a hugh salary.
- Harris, slough, 30/07/2009 22:03
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My condolenscence to Catherine Bailey's family and good friends.Having worked as a corporate lawyer in an international law firm all I can say is it's a lost war for women right from the start.It's impossible to please the employers even when you are putting 100% to your job cause they always want more. Being a woman is perceived as a disadvantage from the start, especially when you get married or have a child. I know many female lawyers who had to cut their maternity leave short becasue they had work to do!
Having become a mother recently, I now know how difficult it is to juggle it all. I can't imagine what Catherine must have gone through...
- T-Delight, Turkey, 29/07/2009 09:18
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I'm sure certain posters don't intend to sound "smug", highlighting the "wisdom" of their particular lifestyle choices but they are not factoring in Depression as an illness. Having been hit by the cosh of Post Natal Depression once I can totally see how the unimaginable might happen in the middle of a depressive episode because the bleakness can be so utter.Life can seem so pointless and every horror ever read/imagined about can become a distinct prospect. Severe Depression can hit anyone and PND can wallop any mother be they stay at home or mothers who go out to work. The distraction of work can sometimes help women through PND. Distressingly in this case it didn't help. I empathise so much with Catherine having been close to that point myself while externally seeming fine. My heart goes out to the family. There but for the grace of whatever goes any person with Severe Clinical Depression and/or any woman with severe PND.
- Mary R, London, 28/07/2009 23:42
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I am so terribly sad to see this tragic story in the news. Without knowing all the facts surrounding what happened with Catherine's workload, I can only sincerely sympathise with her family and beg everyone from HR to the partners at the firm to ensure that this doesn't happen again. I know first hand what it was like to face intolerable work pressures over a number of years, which led to me feeling suicidal as well. I panicked, made mistakes and cut corners after I had asked for help numerous times. I faced similar problems at another law firm, so I know the profession as a whole needs to put effective procedures in place to prevent staff from being so badly overworked/stressed/bullied to the point of nervous breakdown or worse.
- Former Sj Berwin Lawyer, London, England, 27/01/2009 23:53
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Neil, so sorry to hear of this sad news, my thoughts are with you and the girls
xxx Enfys
- Enfys, London, 24/01/2009 10:33
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This is terribly sad. My sympathies go out to her family and friends.
I worked at this firm a while ago and the stress and pressures were huge. So much so I felt the need to leave the firm for my own welfare. I definitely think her employer should be investigated. They may well be innocent but people need to understand that mental stress is just as dangerous as anything physical.
- Lady, London, 17/01/2009 23:10
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My condolenscence to her family, colleagues and good friends. To those who knew Catherine they can have nothing but good words to say about her. I had the pleasure of working with her for 4 years. This world will surely be a sadder place without her. There are no words possible for me to explain how I feel. For all those with negative comments, remember no one person is the same we are all individual, everyone's circustamces are all different. "As mothers we are frowned upon for working but also frowned upon if we stay at home to look after our kids." Only god knows the truth. Stop speculating and think of those left behind. RIP Catherine - we will miss you.
- Nina Howard, Camberwell, London, 16/01/2009 14:44
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I was deeply saddened by the news of Catherine's death and my heartfelt wishes go out to her family.
To fellow readers, please be aware that your comments may cause offence to Catherine's already grief stricken family, friends and colleagues. Stories stating what you 'think' was happening in Catherine's life when she passed away are hurtful and pointless. While I believe everyone has a right to their own opinion, there is no-one in this world who can profess to have known what was going through Catherine's mind, not even her nearest and dearest. Perhaps, while Catherine now lays in peace, the rest of society can concentrate on removing the stigma of mental health problems. Encourage your friends and family to seek help if you think they may be going through a period of stress, grief or depression. Your support could make all the difference.
- Anoy, SE London, 16/01/2009 14:02
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I grew up with Cathy in South Africa and share the shock and sadness that has touched everyone who knew her. To all those jumping to conclusions and judgements about her character and her life, you know nothing!She was the kind of woman who worked for what was right and less for cash. And some of you should be ashamed to post your ignorant views.May she rest in peace.
- Bjod, Johannesburg, South Africa, 16/01/2009 09:20
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Well said Dave. People should pack there prejudices and judgements away. It's not much to ask, as Dave says show some respect!
My sincere condolences to this ladies husband and her children.
- Jonathan, London, 15/01/2009 19:36
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Suicide is always a tragedy for those left behind. Blaming the work alone, or trying to piggy-back war-of-the-sexes point scoring, or anything else that has been mentioned doesn't resolve anything. What is pressure for some might be a mere nothing for others - people have committed suicide for seemingly trivial reasons throughout history. Blaming the employers for making her work hard is therefore nonsensical.
For whatever reason, this unfortunate woman was, at the time she made the decision to take her own life, unable to cope with that life as it was at that moment. Compassion, not critique - be it for the woman or for commentary hobby-horse inserts - is called for.
RIP.
- Rogan, Irving, 15/01/2009 19:11
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While everybody else here is clamouring to explain why (how irrational is that?), may I simply offer my sympathy to her family.
I have nothing to go on except her smiling face accompanying this article, and that alone tells me she was a wonderful, sensitive and caring person.
Her family and friends are in our thoughts.
kind regards,
Helena
- Helena, West Cork, Ireland, 15/01/2009 19:11
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My sincere condolences to her husband and children.
- Nick, Cheltenham, ex of Hornsey, 15/01/2009 19:05
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I met this woman on several occasions - she was a loving and caring mother and a happy bright person - and I think nearly all the comments on here are grossly inappropriate. Please show some respect at this awful time for her family. Please do not use this terrible tragedy as yet another excuse to pour forth with your pet prejudices about things you clearly know very little about. Show some respect for heavens sake!
- Dave, London, 15/01/2009 18:06
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I had the honour of trining Catherine Bailey as an attorney in Cape Town. Her ethics, intelligence, warmth and wit placed her in a class of her own. I hope that this tragedy will not fuel wild speculation, but rather thoughtful and respectful responses to a human tragedy that will leave many prople feeling devastated ( as I do ). Henry SHields
- Henry Shields, Cape Town South Africa, 15/01/2009 17:09
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Sad story. Profession, yes but there are limits and there are choices. When we had our son, my wife stayed home to look after him which meant dropping a huge slice of our income. We did it and enjoyed years of seeing our son grow, and he knew that we were there when he wanted us.
Nothing else is a greater sacrifice. Money is not everything.
- Norman, LONDON, 15/01/2009 15:38
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Nidal, your contribution is really outrageous. This is a tragic story leaving 3 little girls without a mother and all you can write about is a bitter comment about the High Court and its alleged treatment of women. Clearly, this lady was under extreme work pressure but there is no indication whatsoever in the article that gender discrimination played any part in her sad end. Indeed, my experience is that invoking gender discrimination is more often than not initiated by incapable people (women or men) who cannot admit to themselves that basically they are useless.
- Daniel, London, 15/01/2009 15:18
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For those asking for her employer to be investigated, can I point out that she was a partner, and therefore an employer herself, not not an employee. and we don't know that it's anything to do with her work in any event - it's pure speculation at this stage.
- Robert, London, 15/01/2009 15:14
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A tradegy. On paper the family was a shining success, him a consultant, She a lawyer and everything to live for with three very young children. Surely there must be something else in the back ground that wasnt right, or are we all this fragile under 'street'?
- Bondy, london, 15/01/2009 14:42
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People dont kill themselves because of pressure alone, they kill themselves because they are mentally unstable and have irrational thoughts and / or severe depression.
- Paddy, Kilburn, London UK, 15/01/2009 14:13
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The High Court London appears to be gettng even more hostile towards women. It is a Club for men and a women involved in litigation can feel very upset after a "bad" day in Court.
- Nidal Hussein, Mortlake London, 15/01/2009 13:51
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Perhaps it will make others realise that money isn't everything and parents will stop pushing their children to aspire to be high earners to the detriment of everything else.
- Emielou, Manchester, 15/01/2009 13:40
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How sad,and what a waste,and 3 children left with out a mother.makes me weep.Employers take note please.
- Kev, London-UK, 15/01/2009 13:20
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It is very tragic news.Such professional personality committing suicide in this well cultural society is quite astonishing.Absolutly it is sad state of affairs.
May God rest her soul in peace.
- M Amjad, London, 15/01/2009 12:10
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It's a tragic story, but there is a price to be paid for earning big bucks in the legal profession - they want you heart and soul, 24/7. It's a choice you take before going into the profession.
- Paul, London, 15/01/2009 11:38
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You really do have a problem with proof-reading your headlines don't you???
Have a bit of respect for a change!
- Md, London, UK, 15/01/2009 10:43
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It is a sad state of affairs, when your job literally takes over your life and eventually ends it.
- Triffidqueen, Desk in London, 15/01/2009 10:33
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Will her employer be investigated by the HSE? Unrealistic work pressures and a culture of presenteeism are just as bad as physical danger. About time the HSE sent a message to white collar employers.
- Joe, London, 15/01/2009 10:30
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