Growing up far from the big city in Delmar, New York, I did not know many lawyers, and I certainly knew of no lawyers to emulate. Back then I would have never dreamt of becoming a managing partner in a successful law firm. But here I am, thanks to the sound advice from mentors who saw my potential and helped me forge my way.
“Don’t let it happen again.” When I heard the statement, my body melted into my chair as I sat staring toward the screen in our Zoom meeting. Shock spread through my body for several moments—no words came. I was petrified and let waves of shame and disbelief flow through my body.
Despite increasing focus on mental health and well-being in the legal profession, lawyers are reportedly dealing with more stress, anxiety and depression, according to the 2023 ALM and Law.com Compass Mental Health Survey of the Legal Profession.
We must remind our students constantly that seeking help is a sign of strength that will not be held against them in school, when applying for admission to the bar or when applying for employment.
"Chicken?" Why not? I would like to talk about a subject many of us in the legal profession are afraid to discuss: fear. As lawyers, our work can be stressful, leaving us gripped with fear. This must be a relevant issue, as with my glance at a thesaurus, I note that there are at least three synonyms for fear beginning with the just letter “a” alone—namely “anxiety,” “alarm” and “angst.”
A majority of solo lawyers want flexibility to set their hours, but working irregular and extended hours could come at the expense of their mental health, according to Clio’s 2023 Legal Trends for Solo Law Firms report.
Michigan Supreme Court Justice Richard Bernstein announced Tuesday that he will miss a special oral argument session April 26 because he is getting mental health treatment.
Forty-nine percent of surveyed lawyers in New Jersey have reported moderate to high levels of burnout, a percentage that is nearly twice as high as the level of burnout in the general U.S. working population, according to a survey by a task force of the New Jersey State Bar Association.
Eighty-three percent of surveyed attorneys report they are stressed at least some of the time, but 71% of the lawyers would not switch careers if given a chance for a do-over, according to survey findings by Law360 Pulse.
Much has been written about the mental health crisis in the legal profession. Certainly, external factors like billable hours and client demands play a large role in creating anxiety and stress in the profession; but there are also internal factors created by “thinking like a lawyer” that deserve more focus.
A Paul Hastings associate’s best-practices advice to junior colleagues in an internal presentation wasn’t that far off the mark, legal observers said. But its tone was lacking.
With growing numbers of law students facing mental health challenges, at least five law schools are using a service to proactively identify struggling students and intervene as soon as possible.
Hey, lawyers! Is everybody happy? If you’re happy and you know it, clap your hands. Many of our colleagues are not exactly thrilled while practicing law. As Nanki-Poo in Gilbert and Sullivan’s The Mikado might say, the best way they could express their joys of law practice would be “modified rapture.”
Deputy general counsel are reporting widespread burnout and dissatisfaction in a new study published Wednesday by legal talent provider Axiom and market research consultant Wakefield Research.
The ABA Journal wants to host and facilitate conversations among lawyers about their profession. We are now accepting thoughtful, non-promotional articles and commentary by unpaid contributors.
