With spring in full swing, organizations around the country mark the start of Mental Health Awareness Month with programming and resources to promote mental wellness in their communities.
The legal profession is no different.
The first week of May marks the annual Well-Being Week in Law , devoted to promoting health and happiness for lawyers, staff and those preparing to enter the profession. Its aim is to “raise awareness about mental health and encourage action and innovation across the profession all year-round to improve well-being,” according to the Institute for Well-Being in Law.
This year, Well-Being Week in Law begins on May 6 and runs through May 10 with daily activities and webinars . The theme for 2024 is “Well-Being Reboot: A Fresh Start for Positive Change.”
David Moss, senior partner and co-founder of Moss & Colella, told Michigan Lawyers Weekly that Well-Being Week in Law reminds him to reflect on how challenging the practice of law is.
“These challenges are principally mental; however, the pressures brought on by emotional stress can also cause physical manifestations,” he said. “It is important to be mindful of your stress level and to take time to engage in activities to reduce the stress.”
With that in mind, the Institute for Well-Being in Law has laid out daily themes to help those in the legal profession create a sense of greater well-being:
- Monday: Physical
- Tuesday: Spiritual
- Wednesday: Career and intellectual
- Thursday: Social
- Friday: Emotional
Taking a multifaceted approach to well-being can help alleviate stress and put the profession on the path to a healthier lifestyle.
Prioritizing mental health Rapid changes in the legal profession coupled with those in the corporate world create uncertain and stressful situations that can impact attorney well-being. Due to these added pressures, some in the legal community recognize the importance of mental health awareness.
The Taskforce on Lawyer Well-Being shared the widespread mental health difficulties in the legal field after the American Bar Association’s 2016 Annual Meeting. A
detailed report was issued the following year and Lawyer Well-Being Week launched in 2020.
While it was rebranded as Well-Being Week in Law in 2021, the primary goal remains: to raise awareness of mental health and encourage action and innovation to improve well-being.
Getting the word out on the importance of mental health is improving, but ongoing challenges remain.
“I am not sure if mental health is a priority industry-wide for attorneys and law firms,” Moss said. “However, it should be given the number of attorneys who suffer from mental stress and fatigue.”
David Stimpson, managing partner of Stimpson & Associates, agreed.
“Well-Being Week in Law is an important part of how we continue to find balance and longevity as practitioners,” he said. “The ability for attorneys to understand an appropriate work- life balance and healthy addresses to stressors are important to maintain good mental health. The week also allows us to continue to bring awareness of mental health situations to those of us who work in the law and the people we serve in our industry.”
These issues were put into sharp focus during COVID lockdowns. Staying connected was key to combat quarantine and the sense of aloneness it ushered in. Remote work and Zoom meetings and hearings were the “new normal.”
While lockdowns are over, most firms still allow remote work and that brings a host of challenges for well-being.
Deborah Brouwer, managing partner of Detroit-based Nemeth Bonnette Brouwer, believes the increase in remote work can be detrimental to well-being for members of the legal profession.
“My only thought was that increasing reliance on remote work which is touted as being positive for wellness, because it permits people to work in a comfortable environment (home) and more easily address family issues as needed it also has downsides for well-being,” she said. “Remote workers can feel isolated because they are from co-workers/clients, may feel less supported by their firm, feel that they are not doing the best work because of the loss of spontaneous brainstorming with colleagues.”
Issues with remote work go beyond isolation, Brouwer noted.
“Then there is the issue of increased substance abuse for remote workers,” she said. “All of this means that employers and law firms must pay particular attention to ensuring that their remote workers even those working remotely out of choice are connected in real time with real people, and that appropriate support at all levels is provided.”
Recognizing that, the State Bar of Michigan has resources and programs available.
“There are many skilled clinicians as well as agencies which provide treatment for mental health issues,” Moss shared. “The Lawyers and Judges Assistance Program recognizes that individuals who struggle with a variety of mental issues, impairments, and addiction.”
Along with programs offered by the State Bar, Stimpson noted the importance and ease of holding team meetings with an emphasis on mental health.
“Our firm holds morning team meetings so we can check in on all members of our team,” he shared. “This only takes a few minutes and we use it to allow team members to provide a brief recap of where they are each day, what tasks they have on their agenda and to allow people to step forward to help each other when one team member might be overwhelmed.”
Help is available anytime The three pillars of the institute’s
2023-2024 Strategic Plan are education and awareness; advocacy and technical support; and research and scholarship.
Resources include well-being strategies for the
judiciary and
law students , to
communication toolkits and
activities for individuals or groups .
The American Bar Association is offering
daily webinars during Well-Being Week in law, and has several on-demand well-being programs available for a fee.
Last year, the Michigan Supreme Court launched the “
Well-Being in the Law Commission ,” geared toward improving behavioral health among legal professionals, and released a
report and recommendations .
For Michigan legal professionals, bar applicants, law students, family members, and others, help is available. The
Lawyers and Judges Assistance Program (LJAP) offers free consultations, and a toll-free helpline is available: (800) 996-5522. All services are confidential as regulated by HIPAA.
The
Michigan Peer Warmline will connect individuals with certified peer support specialists who have lived experiences of behavioral health issues, trauma or personal crises, and are trained to support and empower the callers: 1-888-PEER-753 (1-888-733-7753).
“
Increasing Help-Seeking for Legal Professionals Struggling with Depression ” is a free webinar on May 28 at 2 p.m. featuring Jason T. Siegel, Ph.D. and moderator Anne M. Brafford, JD, Ph.D.
If you would like to comment on this story, contact Cory Linsner at clinsner@milawyersweekly.com . Copyright © 2024 BridgeTower Media. All Rights Reserved.
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