Health and well-being often take a back seat in the high-stress and competitive legal world, leading to mental health, substance abuse and addiction issues that are now prevalent in the profession.
Each day of the week features a virtual session focused on a different aspect of well-being – physical, spiritual, emotional – with advice on everything from proper diet and nutrition to seeking help with mental health. An in-person event at the New Jersey Law Center in New Brunswick will feature a Well-Being Networking Breakfast, where attendees can chat with colleagues about wellness with networking activities mixed in.
Living a healthy lifestyle is vital to the profession, according to The Institute for Well-Being in Law, which claims that attorneys make better choices for clients, colleagues, families and communities when their professional and organizational cultures support well-being.
NJSBA President Domenick Carmagnola has made wellness a key focus of his tenure. Workplaces that foster support and well-being, he said, are better equipped to make choices that allow attorneys and clients to thrive.
“Supportive workplaces are not just more productive, but also able to attract and retain attorneys and other employees,” Carmagnola said.
Lori Buza, who chairs the NJSBA’s Well-Being Committee, said the webinars are aimed at helping attorneys develop stronger connections with clients and colleagues, have greater competency in the practice of law and lead more fulfilling and productive professional lives.
“Lawyer mental and physical well-being is essential to effective and ethical lawyering,” Buza said. “The legal profession must place value on the well-being of legal counsel, and in so doing will enhance the legal experience for attorneys and the communities they serve.”
The stats are clear that alcohol use, substance abuse, and mental health issues have long been part of the legal field. A study released in 2019 by the American Bar Association, which surveyed 15,000 attorneys across 19 states, found widespread levels of problem drinking and other behavioral health issues among attorneys who responded.
The study reported that 21% of licensed, employed attorneys qualify as problem drinkers, 28% struggle with some level of depression and 19% demonstrate symptoms of anxiety. Younger attorneys in the first 10 years of practice, the study found, exhibit the highest incidence of these problems.
“Too many of us have heard stories, known friends, or experienced these challenges ourselves. The pandemic and its effect on our profession has only exacerbated feelings of stress, burnout and uncertainty,” Carmagnola said. “We hope to address the stigma associated with asking for assistance and emphasize that well-being is an essential part of being a competent attorney.”
Visit njlap.org to get the full schedule and register for the programs.