How to manage and overcome imposter syndrome

I'd worked in law for a few years before I heard the term 'imposter syndrome'. As the first lawyer in my family, I'd always felt a bit out of place in law school and corporate firms — I just didn't know there was a name for it. Since learning about it, I've looked into why I was feeling that way and what I could do about it.

What is imposter syndrome, and how does it affect us?

Imposter syndrome is a psychological experience that causes us to doubt our accomplishments, feel like we aren't good enough to be in our position, and fear being exposed as frauds. In careers like law and medicine, many people don't feel successful internally despite being high-performing in external, objective ways.

If you've felt inadequate compared to your peers, or persistently believe your achievements are down to luck rather than ability, you might be experiencing it. Over time it can affect your confidence, self-esteem and overall wellbeing — over something that isn't actually tied to your performance.

What are the reasons for it?

Overcoming imposter syndrome starts with understanding why it exists. The three main reasons I've found:

1. Dunning–Kruger

Beginners overestimate their ability when they lack knowledge. As we learn, we realise how much we don't know, which widens the gap between our current skills and the 'expert' — so, ironically, the more we learn the more we can feel like imposters. It's just part of the learning curve.

2. The spotlight effect

We believe others notice and judge us far more than they actually do, so we become overly self-conscious about mistakes. In reality, people are usually busy with their own concerns.

3. Negativity bias

We give more weight to negative experiences and feedback than positive ones, so we dwell on failures and shortcomings even when we have plenty of evidence of our competence.

Practical ways to overcome it

1. Track your learning — compare to yourself, not others

In law, learning is like a tap dripping into a bucket: you won't notice the day-to-day improvement, but it's clear over a longer timeframe. List 3–5 tasks you're working on now, then revisit in 6–12 months and compare.

2. Find opportunities to teach

Present a topic to your team, delegate to someone more junior, or run a feedback session explaining the reasoning behind your amendments. You'll be surprised how much you've accumulated.

3. Keep a "feel good" folder

Directly tackle negativity bias by saving thank-you emails, positive feedback, and work you're proud of. It's also handy for performance reviews and promotion applications.

4. Play to your strengths

Shoring up weaknesses matters, but it's stressful to focus only on them. Good at writing? Help the BD team. Got coding skills? Automate a workflow. Comfortable presenting? Offer to research and present on recent developments.

5. Stop faking it

I'm not a fan of "fake it till you make it" — especially in a profession where people rely on your advice. Be honest and ask whenever you're not 100% clear. Asking questions shows you're willing to learn, you care about getting it right, and you communicate well in a team.

6. Understand what the standard actually is

Often we feel like imposters because we don't really know what's expected at our level. Meet your supervisor to understand the work you're expected to do, how it fits the broader workflow, what they'll do in their role, and what's expected of you in yours.

7. Focus on what's within your control

A lot of a legal career is outside our control, so measuring success by outcomes is unhelpful. When an unfavourable outcome triggers imposter syndrome, ask: what processes led to it, which are within my control, and what could I do differently next time?

What managers can do

1. Set clear expectations so juniors know how to meet — and exceed — the standard.
2. Create opportunities for strengths, not just shoring up weaknesses.
3. Give timely feedback with specific examples so juniors can track their learning.
4. Share your own experiences — it helps to hear how you pushed through it.

Support resources

If you or someone you know needs support, help is available.

The Solicitor Outreach Service (SOS) is an independent, confidential counselling service for NSW solicitors — call 1800 592 296. If you're not a NSW solicitor, Lifeline provides 24-hour crisis support to all Australians — call 13 11 14. For other nationally available services, visit lawsociety.com.au .