Episode 97-What Law Firms Can Learn From Corporate America About Well-Being

Counsel to Counsel - Career Advice for Lawyers

The subject of attorney well-being is a topic of conversation at most major law firms today. Several years ago, the Report of the Task Force on Lawyer Well-Being was issued by the American Bar Association, Conference of Chief Judges, and other legal organizations. It called well-being an essential element of a lawyer’s duty of competence.

More recently, Law.com and ALM Intelligence conducted a survey of lawyers and staff members, mostly from large firms, has found that anxiety, depression, and isolation remain at concerning levels. And about 74% of the respondents thought that their work environment contributed to their mental health issues.

When asked about the factors that had a negative impact on mental health, top concerns were always being on call, billable hour pressure, client demands, lack of sleep, and lean staffing.

In January of 2020, The Supreme Judicial Court of Massachusetts created a Standing Committee on Lawyer Well-Being. And there are similar initiatives in jurisdictions all over the United States.

But what are the core issues that these committees are addressing? Why are businesses paying attention to the subject? How are these issues playing out in a corporate environment and what can the legal community learn from corporate America.

Mari Ryan has thought a lot about well-being in the workplace and while her focus is not the legal community per se, she has worked with companies in many industries to address these issues.

Mari Ryan is a workplace well-being strategist, speaker, and award-winning author. Mari works with organizations to create workplaces where both the people and the business thrive. Mari is the author of award-winning book The Thriving Hive: How People-Centric Workplaces Ignite Engagement and Fuel Results.

Additional Resources

• Episode 70-Shailini George on Doing Well and Being Well in the Law
• Episode 64-Building Your Practice and Your Management Skills with Mindful Communication
• Episode 33-Mindfulness, Biofeedback and the Practice of Law
• Massachusetts SJC Standing Committee on Lawyer Well Being (there are a lot of other resources on this site)