Mental Health

Hold the Phone: K-12 school electronic device policies must be carefully considered, lawyers say

As more school districts tighten up student cellphone policies on campus, three reasons are often cited for the change. Lawyers, however, caution that the policies should not be as simple as prohibiting phones on campus.

Jan 14, 2025 11:02 AM CST

Law grads with past substance-use disorders suffered disability bias in quest for license, DOJ says

Would-be Tennessee lawyers encountered unlawful disability discrimination when they were required to submit to “burdensome examinations” and conditions triggered by their past diagnosis or treatment for a substance-use disorder or a mental health disorder, the U.S. Department of Justice has concluded.

Jan 6, 2025 3:15 PM CST

Top 10 Your Voice columns of 2024

One of the ABA Journal’s most precious assets is our access to engaged legal professionals with a knack for writing and a point of view to share. Since 2018, we have featured their words in our Your Voice section. Here are the top 10 of 2024.

Dec 24, 2024 9:00 AM CST

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