Mental Health

Lawyers spar in Supreme Court over constitutional rights in transgender health care case

The lengthy arguments this week in United States v. Skrmetti—a major case about whether a Tennessee law barring certain medical treatments for transgender minors violates the 14th Amendment—were marked by past positions, anticipation of future battles, a historical first and one justice’s curious silence.

Dec 5, 2024 2:15 PM CST

Lawyer mailed feces to federal judges, GOP politicians, ethics complaint says; he blamed his ‘rage’ on racism

An Ohio lawyer on inactive status is accused of violating disciplinary rules by mailing human feces to federal judges and politicians along with messages accusing them of racism and kowtowing to President-elect Donald Trump.

Nov 27, 2024 11:09 AM CST

Under Pressure: Understanding alcohol addiction in the legal profession

It’s no secret that lawyers have a high rate of problem drinking. According to data from the ABA, “as many as one in five lawyers is a problem drinker—twice the national rate.” These drinkers are able to keep their jobs because they’re considered to be either gray area drinkers or functional alcoholics. The former display early signs of an alcohol use disorder, while the latter appear to be somewhat in control of their drinking.

Nov 25, 2024 8:53 AM CST

Only 36% of young legal professionals say work has positive impact on mental health, new survey finds

Half of surveyed male lawyers in larger law firms report that work has a positive effect on their mental health, but only 35% of female lawyers feel the same.

Oct 28, 2024 11:09 AM CDT

Texas AG sues pediatrician over gender-affirming care for youths

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has filed a lawsuit against a Dallas-based pediatrician, accusing her of providing transition-related hormones in violation of a state ban on gender-affirming care for people under age 18.

Oct 18, 2024 11:50 AM CDT

Lawyer gets suspension after slapping attorney in front of courthouse

A Connecticut lawyer has received a suspension for slapping another attorney in front of a courthouse and for a separate “destructive and harmful campaign of harassing behavior” against a former friend.

Oct 9, 2024 9:34 AM CDT

Suspended federal appeals judge, 97, has ‘extraordinarily high level of cognitive ability,’ evaluation says

A suspended 97-year-old federal appeals judge appears to be a “super-ager” because she shows no effects of age on cognition and demeanor, according to a neurosurgeon who is also a lawyer and an inventor.

Sep 25, 2024 11:44 AM CDT

Top factors that contribute to burnout among legal professionals

Ari Kaplan recently spoke with Bill Potter, the vice president of presales engineering at Nuix, a leading investigative analytics and intelligence software provider.

Sep 23, 2024 2:10 PM CDT

Disrupted sleep and anxiety plague more than half of surveyed lawyers

Disrupted sleep and anxiety lead the list of well-being challenges experienced by surveyed lawyers, according to a new survey report by Bloomberg Law.

Sep 23, 2024 12:17 PM CDT

42 state AGs endorse federal plan to add warning labels on social media

A coalition of over 40 state attorneys general urged Congress on Tuesday to place labels on social media platforms warning of their potential risks to children, rallying substantial bipartisan support behind a proposal championed by U.S. Surgeon General Vivek H. Murthy.

Sep 10, 2024 1:50 PM CDT

Overuse of involuntary civil commitment as approach to homelessness debated by ABA House

When addressing homelessness, governments should not expand their criteria for the involuntary civil commitment of people with mental disabilities, the ABA House of Delegates urged on Tuesday.

Aug 6, 2024 1:24 PM CDT

Class of 2020 moves jobs, has less debt and is concerned about mental health, study says

The study from the National Association for Law Placement and the NALP Foundation, released Wednesday, showed 70% of all graduates have held two or more jobs in the three years since graduation, up from 69% of the class of 2019 surveyed a year earlier.

Jul 25, 2024 10:29 AM CDT

4 surprising signs of attorney stress and some ways to address it

The long hours and the pressure to succeed are like a pressure cooker just waiting to explode. And often, your body will start giving you signs that you have to help your mind. While you may recognize common signs of stress—tension headaches, fatigue and mood changes—there are other surprising signs of stress that your body may provide. Here are some to watch.

Jul 24, 2024 8:46 AM CDT

Satan Goes to Court: Lawyers recall bizarre medical malpractice case

In 1991, personal injury lawyers Zachary Bravos and Todd Smith took on the strangest medical malpractice case of their careers—a case that led them to tales of satanic cults, child abuse and cannibalism.

Jul 17, 2024 1:30 PM CDT

A BigLaw suicide survivor’s prescription for the legal profession’s mental health crisis

I was young, single, healthy, confident and “bulletproof” when I entered law school immediately after college in 1978. I did not have any personal experience with anyone suffering mental health challenges. Mental health education and services were the furthest things from my mind.

May 16, 2024 3:28 PM CDT