Mental Health

Identifying and eliminating implicit bias toward psychiatric disabilities in the legal profession

“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.

Jun 12, 2023 11:30 AM CDT

Mental health initiatives aren’t curbing lawyer stress and anxiety, new study shows

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.

May 19, 2023 9:08 AM CDT

Law schools should take on students’ mental health and substance use from day one

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.

May 17, 2023 1:31 PM CDT

How lawyers can embrace their inner ‘chicken’

"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.”

May 15, 2023 9:00 AM CDT

California rolling out ‘CARE Court’ program that offers treatment to people with psychosis

California is embarking on a new "CARE Court" program that will help people with psychotic disorders get comprehensive mental health treatment.

Apr 28, 2023 10:45 AM CDT

Irregular hours could be detrimental to solo lawyers’ mental health, new Clio report says

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.

Apr 24, 2023 8:39 AM CDT

Michigan justice encourages struggling lawyers to get help as he announces mental health treatment

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.

Apr 19, 2023 9:17 AM CDT

28% of lawyers in this state considered leaving the profession because of mental health, burnout or stress

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.

Apr 18, 2023 9:30 AM CDT

Law schools employ texting service to keep tabs on students’ mental health

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.

Mar 24, 2023 1:18 PM CDT

Lawyers are twice as likely to have thoughts of suicide, new study finds

A recent study of California and Washington, D.C., lawyers found that lawyers are twice as likely as the general population to experience suicidal ideation.

Feb 14, 2023 10:34 AM CST

High rates of burnout have lawyers in this state considering leaving their jobs or the legal profession

More than three-fourths of Massachusetts lawyers are experiencing burnout, and almost half have thought about leaving their legal employer or the legal profession for that reason or because of stress in the last three years.

Feb 2, 2023 12:07 PM CST

Supreme Court will hear case of convicted stalker to decide mental state needed for ‘true threats’ conviction

The U.S. Supreme Court has agreed to consider what kind of mental state a speaker must have to be convicted for “true threats” that aren’t protected by the First Amendment.

Jan 17, 2023 2:24 PM CST

This lawyer tackled lifelong anxiety to free herself from ‘The Box’

“The Box: An Invitation to Freedom From Anxiety” became an investigation into the mental and emotional barriers that Wendy Tamis Robbins constructed since childhood to protect herself—and a blueprint for dismantling the barriers that no longer served her.

Dec 21, 2022 8:34 AM CST

Law firm gives staff nonfungible tokens for mental health services

New Jersey-based personal injury law firm Grungo Colarulo says it will offer mental health services to its staff through nonfungible tokens, or NFTs.

Dec 12, 2022 11:11 AM CST

Aftershocks: Navigating the morass of state abortion laws post-Roe

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports nearly 3 million women in the U.S. have experienced a rape-related pregnancy. Still, abortion opponents are making it increasingly difficult for women who are victimized by rape or incest and who may become pregnant as a result to access the medical care they need, when they need it.

Dec 1, 2022 3:30 AM CST