Balancing Act: Juggling Legal Demands and Personal Wellness
There is an abundance of things to love about being an attorney:
- Advocacy: Making a positive difference in clients’ lives
- Professional Development: Growth through legal research, case preparation and courtroom experience
- Financial Rewards: Lucrative compensation
- Personal Fulfillment: Navigating legal complexities and achieving favorable outcomes can be deeply rewarding
But, rewards can come at a heavy price to attorneys and their staff:
- Too Much Work, Too Little Time: Working long hours, plus evenings, and weekends
- Ethical Dilemmas: Conflicts of interest or confidentiality issues can be morally and professionally challenging
- High Stress Levels: Dealing with demanding caseloads, tight deadlines, and intense client situations can be stressful
- Burnout: The demands of the profession can impact physical health, mental well-being, and overall job satisfaction
Balance is essential to maintaining a happy and productive work/life balance. Several publications have addressed similar issues and made some suggestions for techniques that can help. In a report issued by the American Bar Association’s NATIONAL TASK FORCE ON LAWYER WELL-BEING, titled “THE PATH TO LAWYER WELL-BEING”, they suggest the following methods to help maintain attorney wellness:
- “ACKNOWLEDGE THE PROBLEMS AND TAKE RESPONSIBILITY.”
- Whether for yourself, the attorneys and staff at your firm, or the wider legal community, stand up for those who are having difficulties. Make sure people are aware of the issue and that we all need to support those who are struggling.
- “LEADERS SHOULD DEMONSTRATE A PERSONAL COMMITMENT TO WELL-BEING.”
- As a leader you can create and support change by your commitment to well-being in others’ lives and by supporting others in doing the same.
- “FACILITATE, DESTIGMATIZE, AND ENCOURAGE HELP-SEEKING BEHAVIORS.”
- In our society, and particularly within the legal community, there is a stigma attached to those who seek help. Rather than stigmatizing those individuals, we should embrace that behavior and create policies designed to encourage it.
- “BUILD RELATIONSHIPS WITH LAWYER WELLBEING EXPERTS.”
- Many State Bar Associations have created lawyer wellness programs. Familiarize yourself with the programs available in your area and share that information with others.
- MONITOR FOR IMPAIRED LAWYERS AND PARTNER WITH LAWYER ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS
- According to a report from the New York State Bar Association, “Many lawyers have turned to drugs, alcohol, or worse to cope. According to a 2017 survey by an ABA working group, 21% of lawyers reported problematic alcohol use. 28% reported depression. A survey by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health found that the suicide rate for lawyers is 1.33 times the norm, higher than for the military or veterans. Suicide is the third leading cause of death for lawyers after cancer and heart disease. The top three causes of death for lawyers can be attributed to stress. It seems like everything lawyers do leads to high blood pressure.”
The ABA is not the only organization that has dealt with attorney wellness. A South Carolina Law Review article stated that “…restoring wellness must start with reviving the concept of belonging and our perception of our profession as a noble calling - one which unites us as a community, of which we see ourselves as stewards, and in which we invest not merely for our own return on investment (whether measured by income, title, or accolade), but for coming generations. Such efforts are time sensitive and essential, for it is now apparent that improving lawyer wellbeing is not merely a necessary foundation for quality representation. It is also a reflection of the bar's commitment to first principles of legal practice and a testament to the values that will shape the future of the legal profession.”
