Krause, C. A., & Chong, J. (2019). Lawyer Wellbeing as a Crisis of the Profession. SCL Rev., 71, 203. The legal profession is in the throes of a mental health crisis. State bars across the country continue to be rocked by the tragic loss of their lawyers to suicide and accidental drug overdose. Recent studies have also…
LawCare, a mental health charity for the UK legal sector, has issued advice to employers to combat loneliness
LawCare has issued advice to the beginning of mental health week in Scotland. This year mental health week was focused on combating loneliness. LawCare has encouraged individuals and employers to: Reach out to a colleague an informal chat about how things are going; Share experiences about the challenges they have faced working in the law…
Legal Sector Workers United report claims that 7 out of 10 of its members have suffered issues with their mental health linked to their jobs
The Trade Union survey of it’s members reported that 71% of respondents said their position had negatively impacted their mental health. This is compared to just 14% who responded that it had had a positive affect on their mental health. While 59% suggested their work was the biggest threat to their mental health. This survey…
Illinois Supreme Court Commission on Professionalism: five ways to improve well-being in the legal profession
Stephanie Villinski, Deputy Director of the Illinois Supreme Court Commission on Professionalism, has released her take on improving lawyer well-being, based on ‘The Future Is Now: Legal Services conference’, which is the Commission on Professionalism’s annual future law event. Ms. Villinski reflects on the fact that many of the changes that can have the greatest…
Stress, drink, leave: An examination of gender-specific risk factors for mental health problems and attrition among licensed attorneys
Abstract Rates of mental illness and heavy alcohol use are exceedingly high in the legal profession, while attrition among women has also been a longstanding problem. Work overcommitment, work-family conflict, permissiveness toward alcohol in the workplace, and the likelihood of promotion are all implicated but have yet to be systematically investigated. Data were collected from…
NSW law society to provide solicitors with session with psychologist
The Law Society of New South Wales (NSW) has launched its new Solicitor Outreach Service (SOS) as part of its ongoing efforts to support the mental health and wellbeing of the state’s lawyers. Solicitors in the state will be provided with 3 sessions a year, with a qualified psychologist free of charge, and will also…
Law Society of Scotland launches new mental health action plan
On Wednesday the 3rd June, The Law Society of Scotland launched a three-year action plan that aims to tackle the stigma around mental health in the legal sector. The plan follows the release of a survey in 2019 on the Scottish legal profession and individual views on mental health and the workplace. The full survey…