Research, Reports, and News on Well-Being in the Legal Profession
This list is meant to be a “living document” with regular additions and revisions. If you would like to suggest additional resources or revisions to existing resources, please feel free to email our Project Manager, Sybil Gelin, at sybil@lawyerwellbeingma.org.
State Task Force/Committee Reports on Well-Being in the Legal Profession
Massachusetts
2022 Annual Report of the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court Standing Committee on Lawyer Well-Being (May 26, 2023).
NORC/LCL Study on the Well-Being of Lawyers in Massachusetts (Feb. 1, 2023).
2021 Annual Report of the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court Standing Committee on Lawyer Well-Being (Jan. 28, 2022).
Report Summarizing Affinity Bar Town Hall Meetings (Mass. Supreme Judicial Court Standing Committee on Lawyer Well-Being; Feb. 4, 2021).
Update on the First Year of the Mass. Supreme Judicial Court Standing Committee on Lawyer Well-Being (Jan. 7, 2021).
Report to the Justices (Mass. Supreme Judicial Court Steering Committee on Lawyer Well-Being; July 15, 2019).
National Survey
2020-2021 Highlights from State Well-Being Task Forces (Institute for Well-Being in Law).
Arkansas
Colorado
Michigan
New York
Report in Support of Mental Health, Substance Use and Lawyer Well-Being Continuing Legal Education (CLE) Requirement for New York Attorneys (New York City Bar Lawyers Assistance Program Committee and Mental Health Law Committee; June 2020).
Texas
Breaking the Silence - A Path to Mental Health Video Series (Texas Young Lawyers Association).
Utah
Living Well in Law: A Guide to Building Engagement, Resilience and Well-Being for the Legal Profession (Apr. 2022).
The Utah Lawyer Well-Being Study: Preliminary Results Show Utah Lawyers at Risk (Matthew S. Thiese; 33 Utah Bar J. 29-30 (Mar./Apr. 2020)).
Vermont
Second Annual Report (Vermont Commission on the Well-Being of the Legal Profession; July 1, 2021).
First Annual Report (Vermont Commission on the Well-Being of the Legal Profession; July 1, 2020).
State Action Plan (Vermont Commission on the Well-Being of the Legal Profession; Dec. 31, 2018).
Vermont Commission on the Well-Being of the Legal Profession Charge and Designation (Vermont Supreme Court; Jan. 2, 2018).
Virginia
A Profession at Risk – Year Two Executive Update (Virginia Lawyers’ Wellness Initiative; March 2020).
A Profession at Risk: Report of the Committee on Lawyer Well-Being of the Supreme Court of Virginia (2018).
General Research and Reports on Well-Being and the Legal Profession
*Massachusetts’ Specific: Lawyer Well-Being in Massachusetts (NORC 2022)*
ANALYSIS: Mental Health Support Is Top Lawyer Wellness Perk (Jessica R. Blaemire; Bloomberg Law Analysis (Dec. 21, 2023)).
Addressing the Lawyer Suicide Crisis: A Guide for Bar Leaders (Nick Hansen; American Bar Association Vol. 46, Issue 5 (September 29, 2023)).
Legal Careers of Parents and Child Caregivers: Results and Best Practices From a National Study of the Legal Profession (American Bar Association Commission on Women in the Profession; 2023).
Raising the Bar: Addressing the State of Mental Health in the Legal Sector (The Mindful Business Charter (2023)).
The State of Wellbeing in Law 2023 (Unmind (2023)).
ANALYSIS: Female Lawyers Report More Stress, Burnout than Males (Jessica R. Blaemire; Bloomberg Law Analysis (Oct. 2, 2023)).
National Public Defense Workload Study (Pace, Nicholas M., Malia N. Brink, Cynthia G. Lee, and Stephen F. Hanlon; RAND Corporation (2023)).
More Than Mere Lip Service: A Mansfield Rule for Well-Being (Cecilia A. Silver; Michigan Law Review (June 2023)).
Stressed, Lonely, and Overcommitted: Predictors of Lawyer Suicide Risk (Krill, et al; Healthcare Vol. 11, Issue 4 (2023)).
Losing Our [Best] Minds: Addressing the Attrition Crisis of Women Lawyers in a Post-Pandemic World (CA Lawyers Association (Winter 2022)).
The National Study on the Psychological Health Determinants of Legal Professionals in Canada (Oct. 27, 2022).
Women Leaving Law Research Report (Leopard Solutions (Sept. 30, 2022)).
ANALYSIS: RTO or WFH? Attorneys and Employers Find Common Ground (Subscription Required) (Bloomberg Law Analysis (June 29, 2022)).
People, Professionals, and Profit Centers: The Connection between Lawyer Well-Being and Employer Values (Patrick R. Krill, et al.; Behav. Sci. 2022, 12, 177 (June 3, 2022)).
By the Numbers: A Data Snapshot of the Legal Industry’s Mental Health (Subscription Required) (ALM Staff; The American Lawyer (May 10, 2022)).
The Flourishing Lawyer: A Multi-Dimensional Approach to Performance and Well-Being (Subscription Required)(Heidi K. Brown; American Bar Association (Apr. 1, 2022)).
ANALYSIS: Attorney Well-Being Declines, With Burnout on the Rise (Bloomberg Law Analysis (Mar. 3, 2022)).
Relationships Between Workplace Characteristics, Psychological Stress, Affective Distress, Burnout and Empathy in Lawyers (Nora Chlap & Rhonda Brown; International Journal of the Legal Profession (Feb. 11, 2022)).
IBA Young Lawyers’ Report (International Bar Association Legal Policy & Research Unit; Jan. 2022).
Depression to Dedication: How Chief Justice Gants Saved My Life and Catalyzed Ongoing Advocacy for Mental Health in the Legal Profession (Gavin Alexander; 62 B.C. L. Rev. 2759 (Nov. 2021)).
Mental Wellbeing in the Legal Profession: A Global Study (International Bar Association Presidential Task Force on Mental Wellbeing in the Legal Profession; Oct. 2021).
An Introduction to the Brahmavihāras: For Lawyers, Law Students, & Judicial Officers (Jill Carnell; Mindfulness Studies Theses. 55 (Sept. 15, 2021)).
Change is Coming: The Institute for Well-Being in Law Sets Out to Transform the Legal Profession (Hon. Paul Reiber and Bree Buchanan; 90 The Bar Examiner (Summer/Fall 2021)).
Depressive Symptoms and Suicidal Ideation Among Lawyers and Other Law Professionals (Matthew S. Thiese, et al.; 63 J. Occup. & Env. Med. 381-386 (May 2021)).
Mental Health and Substance Abuse Survey Report (ALM Intelligence; Law.com (May 2021)).
Measuring Lawyer Well-Being Systematically: Evidence from the National Health Interview Survey (Yair Listokin & Raymond Noonan; 18:1 J. Empirical Legal Stud. 4-46 (Mar. 2021)).
Addressing the Mental Health and Well-Being of Judges and Court Employees (National Center for State Courts (Jan. 16, 2021)).
ABA Well-Being Pledge January 2021 Update (American Bar Association Commission on Lawyer Assistance Programs; Jan. 2021).
ABA Profile of the Legal Profession (American Bar Association; 2022).
Practicing Law in the Pandemic and Moving Forward: Results and Best Practices from a Nationwide Survey of the Legal Profession (Stephanie A. Scharf & Roberta D. Liebenberg; American Bar Association (2021)).
Grit, Growth Mindset, and the Path to Successful Lawyering (Megan Bess; 89 UMKC L. Rev. 493 (2020-2021)).
Capitalizing on Healthy Lawyers: The Business Case for Law Firms to Promote and Prioritize Lawyer Well-Being (Jarrod F. Reich, 65 Vill. L. Rev. 361 (2020)).
Stress and Resiliency in the U.S. Judiciary (David Swenson, et al.; 2020 Journal of The Professional Lawyer).
The Time is Now: Leading the Charge for Lawyer Well-Being (Jeannette Boot, Laurie Cappello & Brenda Fingold; National Association for Law Placement PD Quarterly (Aug. 2019)).
Lawyer Wellbeing as a Crisis of the Profession (Cheryl Ann Krause & Jane Chong; 71 S.C. L. Rev. 203 (2019)).
Call to Action: The Colorado Supreme Court’s Task Force on Lawyer Well-Being (Monica M. Márquez & Jonathan White; 96 Den. L. Rev. 247 (2019)).
Self-Mastery: The Pathway To Peak Performance and Well-Being In The Law (Jarrett A. Green & Rebecca A. Simon; 48 Southwestern L. Rev. 207 (2019)).
Mindful Engagement and Relational Lawyering (Susan L. Brooks; 48 Southwestern L. Rev. 267 (2019)).
Mindful Mediation (Brian A. Pappas; 48 Southwestern L. Rev. 351 (2019)).
The Virtue of Vulnerability (Nathalie Martin; 48 Southwestern L. Rev. 367 (2019)).
Mindfulness As Resistance (Tim Iglesias; 48 Southwestern L. Rev. 381 (2019)).
Mindfulness in Legal Ethics and Professionalism (Peter H. Huang; Southwestern L. Rev. 401 (2019)).
Well-Being Template for Legal Employers (American Bar Association Commission on Lawyer Assistance Programs and Working Group to Advance Well-Being in the Legal Profession; 2019).
The Best Lawyer You Can Be: A Guide to Physical, Mental, Emotional, and Spiritual Wellness (Subscription Required)(Stewart L. Levine; ABA Law Practice Division (Aug. 23, 2018)).
Being the Happiest, Most Effective Lawyer You Can Be: New Research (Larry Krieger; ABA Law Practice Division (Aug. 23, 2018)).
Lawyering from the Inside Out: Learning Professional Development through Mindfulness and Emotional Intelligence (Subscription Required)(Nathalie Martin; Cambridge University Press (May 2018)).
The Status–Health Paradox: Organizational Context, Stress Exposure, and Well-being in the Legal Profession (Subscription Required)(Jonathan Koltai, Scott Schieman & Ronit Dinovitzer; J. Health & Soc. Behav. 2018; 59(1):20-37 (Jan. 26, 2018)).
Mindful Lawyering: The Key to Creative Problem Solving (Subscription Required)(Kathleen Elliott Vinson, Samantha Alexis Moppett & Shailini Jandial George; Carolina Academic Press (2018)).
The Path to Lawyer Well-Being: Practical Recommendations for Positive Change (National Task Force on Lawyer Well-Being; Aug. 14, 2017).
The Lawyer, the Addict (Eilene Zimmerman; New York Times (July 15, 2017)).
Foundations for Practice: The Whole Lawyer and the Character Quotient (Alli Gerkman & Logan Cornett; Institute for the Advancement of the American Legal System (July 26, 2016)).
The Prevalence of Substance Use and Other Mental Health Concerns Among American Attorneys (Patrick R. Krill, Ryan Johnson & Linda Albert; 2016:10 J. Addict. Med. 46-52 (Jan./Feb. 2016)).
What Makes Lawyers Happy? A Data-Driven Prescription to Redefine Professional Success (Lawrence S. Krieger & Kennon M. Sheldon; 83 Geo. Wash. L. Rev. 554 (2015)).
After the JD III: Third Results from a National Study of Legal Careers (Gabriele Plickert, et al.; American Bar Foundation & NALP Foundation for Law Career Research and Education (2014)).
Service Job Lawyers Are Happier than Money Job Lawyers, Despite Their Lower Income (Subscription Required)(Kennon M. Sheldon & Lawrence S. Krieger, 9:3 J. Positive Psych. 219-226 (2014)).
The Happy Lawyer: Making a Good Life in the Law (Nancy Levit & Douglas O. Linder; Oxford Univ. Press (2010)).
Courting the Blues: Attitudes Towards Depression in Australian Law Students and Lawyers (Norm Welk, et al.; Brain & Mind Research Institute: Univ. of Sydney (Jan. 2009)).
After the JD II: Second Results from National Study of Legal Careers (Ronit Dinovitzer, et al.; American Bar Foundation & NALP Foundation for Law Career Research and Education (2009)).
After the JD: First Results of a National Study of Legal Careers (Ronit Dinovitzer, et al.; NALP Foundation for Law Career Research and Education and American & American Bar Foundation (2004)).
The Contemplative Lawyer: On the Potential Contributions of Mindfulness Meditation to Law Students, Lawyers, and Their Clients (Leonard L. Riskin; 7 Harv. Negot. L. Rev. 1 (2002)).
On Being a Happy, Healthy, and Ethical Member of an Unhappy, Unhealthy, and Unethical Profession (Patrick J. Schiltz; 52 Vanderbilt L. Rev. 871 (1999)).
Research, Reports, and News on Vicarious Trauma, Secondary Traumatic Stress, and Post-Traumatic Stress in the Legal Profession
Vicarious Trauma: A Growing Problem Among Legal Professionals that May Become a More Prevalent Cause of Action (Subscription Required)(Samuel D. Hodge, Jr. & Lauren Williams, 53 Tex. Tech. L. Rev. 511 (Spring 2021)).
How Lawyers Can Cope with Vicarious Trauma (Subscription Required)(Jeena Cho; ABA After the Bar (March 20, 2020).
The Unseen Cost of Justice: Post-Traumatic Stress Symptoms in Canadian Lawyers (Marie-Eve Lecler, Jo-Anne Wemmers & Alain Brunet; 26:1 Psychology Crime & Law 1-21 (2020)).
Vicarious Traumatisation in Lawyers Working with Traumatised Asylum Seekers: A Pilot Study (Line Rønning, Jocelyn Blumberg &Jesper Dammeyer; 27(4) Psychiatry, Psychology & Law 665-677 (2020)).
When the Lawyer Becomes Traumatized: A Scoping Review (Marie-Jeanne Léonard, Daniel Saumier & Alain Brunet; July-Sept. 2020 SAGE Open 1-10).
The Law is Not as Blind as It Seems: Relative Rates of Vicarious Trauma among Lawyers and Mental Health Professionals (Grace Maguire & Mitchell K. Byrne; 24:2 Psychiatry, Psychology & Law 233-243 (2017)).
The Effect of Attorneys’ Work with Trauma-Exposed Clients on PTSD Symptoms, Depression, and Functional Impairment: A Cross-Lagged Longitudinal Study (Subscription Required)(Andrew Levin, et al.; 36(6) Law and Human Behavior 538-547 (2012)).
Secondary Traumatic Stress in Attorneys and Their Administrative Support Staff Working with Trauma-Exposed Clients (Andrew P. Levin et al.; 2011:199 J. Nerv. Ment. Dis. 946-955 (2011)).
Vicarious Trauma in Attorneys (Andrew P. Levin & Scott Greisberg; 24 Pace L. Rev. 245 (2003)).
Research, Reports, and News on Law Student Well-Being
‘We’re Literally Dying’: Addressing Mental Health in the Legal Profession Needs to Start in Law School (Subscription Required)(Christine Charnosky; Law.com (April 4, 2024)).
How You Can Protect Your Health from the Harms of Law School (Subscription Required)(Joann Mulholland; American Bar Association (February 13, 2024)).
Alienation in Law School (Harvard Law Review Vol. 137, Issue 3 (January 2024)).
Focus on First-Generation Students (Chad Christensen et al.; Law School Survey of Student Engagement (2023)).
Law Deans Clearinghouse For Student Mental Health, https://www.aals.org/mental-health-clearinghouse/.
Law Student Mental Health: An Open Dialogue (Raashi Sharma; Boston Bar Journal (Feb. 9, 2023)).
Study: Law Schools That Ignore Students’ Mental Health ‘Shirk’ Their Responsibilities (Christine Charnosky; The Recorder (July 13, 2022)).
‘It is Okay to Not Be Okay’: The 2021 Survey of Law Student Well-Being (David Jaffe; Katherine Bender & Jerome M. Organ; U. Louisville L. Rev. (Forthcoming) (June 17, 2022)).
Forging The Path to Law Student Well-Being (Subscription Required)(Katherine Bender, David Jaffe & Practical Law; Apr. 20, 2022).
Ahead of the Curve: A Closer Look at Law Student Mental Health (Subscription Required)(Christine Charnosky; Law.com (Apr. 18, 2022)).
'There Are Long-Term Consequences': Why Improving Mental Health in the Legal Profession Must Begin in Law School (Subscription Required)(Christine Charnosky; Law.com (Apr. 18, 2022)).
What ABA Student Well-Being Standards Mean for Law Firms (David Jaffe; Law360 (March 15, 2022)).
Association of American Law Schools: Section on Balance & Well-Being in Legal Education - Multiple Webinars Available (Last Updated Aug. 10, 2021).
Wellness and Law: Reforming Legal Education to Support Student Wellness (Janet Thompson Jackson; 65 Howard L. J. (forthcoming, 2021)).
The Law Student’s Guide to Doing Well and Being Well (Shailini Jandial George; Carolina Academic Press (May 2021)).
Professional Identity Formation, Leadership and Exploration of Self (Mary Walsh Fitzpatrick and Rosemary Queenan; 89 UMKC L. Rev. 539 (Spring 2021)).
A Guide to Law Student Wellness & Well-Being (Mass. Supreme Judicial Court Standing Committee on Lawyer Well-Being; 2021).
A Guide to Preparing Law Students & Rising Lawyers to Thrive in Law School, the Legal Profession, & Beyond (Mass. Supreme Judicial Court Standing Committee on Lawyer Well-Being; 2021).
Negotiating Trauma & Teaching Law (Mallika Kaur; 35 J. of Law & Social Policy 113 (2021)).
Student Debt: The Holistic Impact on Today’s Young Lawyer (American Bar Association Young Lawyers Division & AccessLex Institute; 2021).
The Guide to Belonging in Law School (Russell A. McClain; July 2020).
Substance Use and Mental Health Toolkit for Law School Students and Those Who Care About Them (American Bar Association Law Student Division and Commission on Lawyer Assistance Programs; June 2020).
A New Look at Character and Fitness: Bar Leaders, Lawyers, Others Urge Elimination of Mental Health Questions (Marilyn Cavicchia; American Bar Association, 44(3) Bar Leader (Jan.-Feb. 2020)).
Conduct Yourselves Accordingly: Amending Bar Character and Fitness Questions to Promote Lawyer Well-Being (David Jaffe & Janet Stearns; American Bar Association, 26(2) The Professional Lawyer (Jan. 22, 2020)).
Law School in a Different Voice (Melissa Murray; Women & Law 131-142 (2020)).
The Pandemic Syllabus (Sarah Schendel; Denver L. Rev. Forum Vol. 98 (2020)).
Training Law Students to Maintain Civility in their Law Practices as a Way to Improve Public Discourse (Nancy B. Rapoport; 98 N.C. L. Rev. 1143-1184 (2020)).
Where Are We on the Path to Law Student Well-Being?: Report on the ABA CoLAP Law Student Assistance Committee Law School Wellness Survey (Jordana A. Confino; 68 J. Legal Educ. 650-715 (Spring 2019)).
Bar Admissions Questions Pertaining to Mental Health, School/Criminal History, and Financial Issues (Judge David L. Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law; Last Updated Feb. 2019 unless otherwise noted).
Constructing the Ideal Health and Wellness Initiative (Erin Brereton; Legal Mgmt. (Jan. 2019)).
Can Mindfulness Help Law Students With Stress, Focus, And Well-Being? An Empirical Study Of 1Ls At A Midwestern Law School (Richard C. Reuben & Kennon M. Sheldon; 48 Southwestern L. Rev. 241 (2019)).
Integrating Positive Psychology Into Legal Education (R. Lisle Baker; 48 Southwestern L. Rev. 295 (2019)).
Using Mindfulness Meditation To Foster Reflection In Externships (Alison Lintal; 48 Southwestern L. Rev. 329 (2019)).
Cultivating A 'Reflective Approach' to the Practice of Law: The Use of Meditation in Legal Education (Anthony Cullen; 48 Southwestern L. Rev. 343 (2019)).
Wellness as Practice, Not Product: A Collaborative Approach to Fostering a Healthier, Happier Law School Community (Katelyn Albrecht, et al.; 59 Santa Clara L. Rev. 369 (2019)).
Racialized Interactions in the Law School Classroom: Pedagogical Approaches to Creating a Safe Learning Environment (Erin C. Lain; 67 J. Legal Educ. 780-801 (Spring 2018)).
The Key to Law Student Well-Being? We Have to Love Our Law Students (David B. Jaffe; National Association for Law Placement PD Quarterly (Feb. 2018)).
Designing a Positive Psychology Course for Lawyers (R. Lisle Baker; 51 Suffolk L. Rev. 207 (2018)).
Anxiety Psychoeducation for Law Students: A Pilot Program (Ian Ayres, et al.; 67 J. Legal Educ. 118 (2017)).
Suffering in Silence: The Survey of Law Student Well-Being and the Reluctance of Law Students to Seek Help for Substance Use and Mental Health Concerns (Jerome M. Organ, David B. Jaffe & Katherine M. Bender; 66 J. Legal Educ. 116-156 (Autumn 2016)).
Some Thoughts on the Future of Legal Education: Why Diversity and Student Wellness Should Matter in a Time of Economic “Crisis” (Kevin R. Johnson; 65 Buff. L. Rev. 255 (2016)).
The First Thing We Do, Let’s Heal All the Law Students: Incorporating Self-Care into a Criminal Defense Clinic (Ronald Tyler; 21 Berkeley J. Crim. L. 1 (2016)).
Helping Law Students Get the Help They Need: An Analysis of Data Regarding Law Students’ Reluctance to Seek Help and Policy Recommendations for a Variety of Stakeholders (Jerome M. Organ, David B. Jaffe & Katherine M. Bender; 84 The Bar Examiner 9-17 (Dec. 2015)).
The Cure for the Distracted Mind: Why Law Schools Should Teach Mindfulness (Shailini Jandial George; 53 Duquesne L. Rev. 215 (2015)).
Buffering Burnout: Preparing the Online Generation for the Occupational Hazards of the Legal Profession (Brittany Stringfellow Otey; 24 S. Cal. Interdisc. L.J. 147 (2014)).
Killing Them Softly: Neuroscience Reveals How Brain Cells Die from Law School Stress and How Neural Self-Hacking Can Optimize Cognitive Performance (Debra S. Austin; 59 Loy. L. Rev. 791 (2013))
The Mindful Law School: An Integrative Approach to Transforming Legal Education (Scott L. Rogers; 28 Touro L. Rev. 1189 (2012)).
Mindfulness & Professional Responsibility: A Guidebook for Integrating Mindfulness into the Law School Curriculum (Subscription Required)(Scott L. Rogers & Jan L. Jacobowitz; 2012).
Alternative Justifications for Academic Support II: How “Academic Support Across the Curriculum” Helps Meet the Goals of the Carnegie Report and Best Practices (Louis N. Schulze Jr.; 40 Cap. U. L. Rev. 41 (2012)).
Promoting Mental Health in Law School: What Law Schools Can Do for Law Students to Help Them Become Happy, Mentally Healthy Lawyers (Subscription Required)(Jennifer Jolly-Ryan; 48 U. Louisville L. Rev. 95 (2009)).
Stemming the Tide of Law Student Depression: What Law Schools Need to Learn from the Science of Positive Psychology (Todd Peterson & Elizabeth Waters Peterson; 9 Yale J. Health Pol’y & Ethics 357 (2009)).
Understanding the Negative Effects of Legal Education on Law Students: A Longitudinal Test of Self-Determination Theory (Kennon M. Sheldon & Lawrence S. Krieger; 33(6) Personality & Social Psych. Bulletin 883-897 (2007)).
Does Legal Education Have Undermining Effects on Law Students? Evaluating Changes in Motivation, Values, and Well-Being (Subscription Required)(Kennon M. Sheldon & Lawrence S. Krieger; 22 Behavioral Sci. & L. 261, 281 (2004)).
“Thinking Beyond My Own Interpretation:” Reflections on Collaborative and Cooperative Learning Theory in the Law School Curriculum (Clifford Zimmerman; 31 Arizona State Law Journal 957 (1999)).
Research, Reports, and News Articles on Diversity in the Legal Profession and the Well-Being of Lawyers from Underrepresented and Historically Excluded Populations
Excluded and Alone: Examining the Experiences of Native American Women in the Law and a Path Towards Equity (American Bar Association and the National Native American Bar Association (November 2023)).
Diverse Outside Counsel: Who’s Getting the Business? (Institute for Inclusion in the Legal Profession (2022)).
Understanding and Assessing the Use of Minority- and Women-Owned Law Firms by Corporate Clients (Institute for Inclusion in the Legal Profession and NAMWOLF (2022)).
For Attys of Color, There’s Not Enough Help On The Way Up (Rachel Rippetoe; Law360 (Aug. 26, 2022)).
DEI Efforts Can Help Diverse Attorneys Overcome Perfection Paradox (Yusuf Zakir & Kate Reder Sheikh; Bloomberg Law (June 23, 2022)).
Moving Toward Antibigotry: Collected Essays from the Center for Antiracist Research’s Antibigotry Convening (BU Center for Antiracist Research; May 2022).
‘We Belong in These Spaces’: Jackson’s Successors Reflect on Her Nomination (Linda Qiu; New York Times (Apr. 7, 2022)).
Addressing Problematic Drinking in the Legal Profession (Subscription Required)(Anne Brafford; Law360 (Apr. 6, 2022)).
A 'Must-Have' or 'Forced Wokeness'?: Mixed Reaction to ABA's Newly Adopted Diversity Training Mandate for Law Students (Subscription Required)(Christine Charnosky; Law.com (Feb. 16, 2022)).
Recruiting Before Law School Could Lead to a More Diverse—and Happier—Legal Profession (Subscription Required)(Zack Needles; Law.com Trendspotter (Jan. 25, 2022)).
‘We Are Recruiting the Next Leaders’: How BU Law Strives to Increase Diversity in the Broader Legal Community (Subscription Required)(Christine Charnosky; Law.com (Jan. 25, 2022)).
This Year’s Summer Associate Class at U.S. Law Firms Was Most Diverse Ever, But Industry Challenges Remain (National Association for Law Placement; Jan. 12, 2022).
2021 NALP Report on Diversity in U.S. Law Firms (National Association for Law Placement; Jan. 2022).
"Diversity, Equity and Inclusion"—Catchy Slogans and Buzzwords with Little Proof That They Matter to the Legal Profession in Massachusetts! (Sheriece M. Perry; 62 B.C. L. Rev. 2747 (2021)).
Career Progression in the Legal Sector Report 2021 (InterLaw Diversity Forum; Nov. 2021).
Denver Law Firm Coalition for Racial Equity Convening Summary Report (Zachariah J. DeMeola & Logan Cornett; Institute for the Advancement of the American Legal System & Denver Law Firm Coalition for Racial Equity (Oct. 2021)).
‘Exclusionary and Classist’: Why the Legal Profession is Getting Whiter (Hassan Kanu; Reuters (Aug. 10, 2021)).
CoLAP Statement on Racial Inequity (American Bar Association Commission on Lawyer Assistance Programs; July 23, 2021).
The Latest Mansfield Certification Round is Shining Light on Law Firm Staff Diversity (Subscription Required)(Dylan Jackson; Law.com (June 29, 2021)).
Law Firm Talent Must Reflect Shifting US Demographics (Subscription Required)(Stephanie Scharf & Roberta Liebenberg; Law360 (June 16, 2021)).
Lawyers of Color Reveal Alarmingly Higher Instances of Mental Health Struggles (Subscription Required)(Dylan Jackson; Law.com (June 8, 2021)).
Diversity Pros Fight Unconscious Bias, Lack of Accountability and the Billable Hour (Subscription Required)(Patrick Smith; Law.com (May 27, 2021)).
Microsoft Boosts Efforts to Build a Diverse Legal Pipeline (Subscription Required)(Lydia Beyoud; Bloomberg Law (May 21, 2021)).
Stress, Drink, Leave: An Examination of Gender-Specific Risk Factors for Mental Health Problems and Attrition Among Licensed Attorneys (Justin Anker & Patrick R. Krill; PLoS ONE 16(5) (May 12, 2021)).
The Data is Out: Mansfield Firms Have Grown Diverse Leadership 30 Times More than Other Firms (Subscription Required)(Dylan Jackson; Law.com (Apr. 15, 2021)).
Report Summarizing Affinity Bar Town Hall Meetings (Mass. Supreme Judicial Court Standing Committee on Lawyer Well-Being; Feb. 4, 2021).
2020 Report on Diversity in U.S. Law Firms (National Association for Law Placement; Feb. 2021).
Diversity and Inclusion in the American Legal Profession: Discrimination and Bias Reported by Lawyers with Disabilities and Lawyers Who Identify as LGBTQ+ (Subscription Required)(Peter Blanck, Fitore Hyseni & Fatma Altunkol Wise; 47(1) Am. J. of Law & Med. 9-61 (2021)).
Black Lawyers in America: Discussion Guide & Resources (ABA Center for Diversity and Inclusion; 2021).
Listen! Amplifying the Experiences of Black Law School Graduates in 2020 (Sarah Schendel; 100 Neb. L. Rev. 73 (2021)).
Maintaining Mental Health During Times of Racial Unrest (Roger Whittler; The Missouri Bar (July 29, 2020)).
Can You Breathe? (Cedric Ashley; American Bar Association, 37:4 GPSolo 4-5 (July/Aug. 2020)).
The “Pink Ghettos” of Public Interest Law: An Open Secret (Sandra Simkins; 68 Buff. L. Rev. 857 (May 2020)).
LGBTQ Diversity & Inclusion in the Legal Profession: The Basics and Beyond (Wesley Bizzell; Internat’l In-House Counsel J. Vol. 13, No. 50, 1 (Winter 2020)).
Diversity and Inclusion in the American Legal Profession: First Phase of Findings from a National Study of Lawyers with Disabilities and Lawyers Who Identify as LGBTQ+ (Peter Blanck et al.; 23 U. Dist. Columbia L. Rev. 23-88 (Spring 2020)).
The Diversity Gap: Black and Latinx Representation Disparities in the Legal Pipeline (Ashley Bernal; New York City Bar Association (2020)).
Diversity and Inclusion in the American Legal Profession: Workplace Accommodations for Lawyers with Disabilities and Lawyers Who Identify as LGBTQ+ (Peter Blanck, Fitore Hyseni & Fatma Altunkol Wise; 30 J. Occupational Rehabilitation 537-564 (2020)).
Legally Disabled? The Career Experiences of Disabled People Working in the Legal Profession (Debbie Forster & Natasha Hirst; Cardiff Business School (2020)).
Left Out and Left Behind: The Hurdles, Hassles, and Heartaches of Achieving Long-Term Careers for Women of Color (Destiny Peery, Paulette Brown & Eileen Letts; American Bar Association Commission on Women in the Profession (2020)).
Us Too? Bullying and Sexual Harassment in the Legal Profession (Kieran Pender; International Bar Association (May 2019)).
Diversity and Inclusion in the Law: Challenges and Initiatives (Subscription Required)(Allison E. Laffey & Allison Ng; ABA (May 2, 2018)).
Lawyer Well-Being: An Uncharted Path to Increasing Diversity and Inclusion (Subscription Required)(Jayne Reardon & Bree Buchanan; ABA Litigation Section (Feb. 19, 2018)).
Survey of Workplace Conduct and Behaviors in Law Firms (Lauren Stiller Rikleen; The Women’s Bar Association of Massachusetts (2018)).
A Portrait of Asian Americans in the Law (Eric Chung, Samuel Dong, Xiaonan April Hu, Christine Kwon & Goodwin Liu; Yale Law School & National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (2017)).
The Way of ColorInsight: Understanding Race and Law Effectively Through Mindfulness-Based ColorInsight Practices (Rhonda V. Magee; U. San Francisco Law Research Paper No. 2015-19 (Oct. 2015)).
Occupational and Mental Health Consequences of Women’s Experiences of Gender Discrimination and Negative Workplace Acts in the Legal Profession (Donna M. Eansor & Kathryn D. Lafreniere; 35 Advancing Women in Leadership 204-213 (2015)).
Legal Talent at the Crossroads: A Blueprint for Action (Jon S. Corzine, Dennis M. Bone & Dianne Mills McKay; New Jersey State Employment & Training Commission Council on Gender Parity in Labor and Education (June 2009)).
Legal Talent at the Crossroads: Why New Jersey Women Lawyers Leave Their Law Firms, and Why They Choose to Stay (Jon S. Corzine, Dennis M. Bone & Dianne Mills McKay; New Jersey State Employment & Training Commission Council on Gender Parity in Labor and Education (Apr. 2009)).
The Five Habits: Cross-Cultural Competence in Lawyers (Susan Bryant; 8 Clinical L. Rev. 33 (Fall 2001)).
ABA-Wide 21-Day Racial Equity Habit-Building Challenge (American Bar Association Diversity and Inclusion Advisory Council).
Enabling Lawyer Well-Being Through Diversity & Inclusion (Anne Brafford; Aspire Legal).
Selected News Items on Well-Being in the Legal Profession
Well-Being in the Legal Profession: You Are Not Alone (Shawn Healy, Mala Rafik & Gavin Alexander; Legal Talk Network (Dec. 19, 2023)).
What to Do If You're Suffering From Lawyer Burnout (Ashley Merryman; U.S. News (Dec. 21, 2023)).
Fostering Attorney Well-Being By Humanizing Attorney-Client Relationships: The Mindful Business Charter & U.S. Bank Well-Being Guidelines Offer Pathways to Change (Reuters (Oct. 27, 2023)).
Attorney Mental Health and Well-Being: The Case for Change (Michael J. Kasdan; Reuters (Oct. 2023)).
Billable Hours Strain Lawyer-Client Relationships. There’s a Fix (Kevin Henderson & Eric Pacifici; Bloomberg Law (Aug. 29, 2023)).
Big Law Facilitates Unreasonable Client Demands, Clients Say (Dan Roe & Trudy Knockless (Aug. 17, 2023)).
How to Navigate Work-Life Balance at a Law Firm (Ashley Merryman; U.S. News (Aug. 9, 2023)).
APA Calls for Removal of Mental Health Questions on Applications to Practice Law (American Psychological Association (Aug. 7, 2023)).
The 1,800-Hour Year: Pipe Dream or Essential for Lawyers' Well-Being (Subscription Required)(Dan Roe; The American Lawyer (July 27, 2023)).
Dogs, Doom Scrolling and Warhammer 40,000: How Big Law Attorneys Deal With Stress (Subscription Required)(Dan Roe; The American Lawyer (June 22, 2023)).
Legal Leaders, Embrace Your Role to Improve Legal Workplaces (Subscription Required)(Laura L. Keeler; American Bar Association Law Practice Magazine (May 1, 2023)).
'Noisy Self-Care': How Legal Chiefs Can Show They Really Put Mental Health First (Greg Andrews; Corporate Counsel)).
How to Rethink and Encourage Attorney Well-Being in Firms (Shailini George; Bloomberg Law (Mar. 14, 2023)).
Change and the Legal Profession (Heidi Alexander; Boston Bar Journal (Feb. 9, 2023)).
Judicial Wellness (Hon. Jennifer L. Ginsburg & Hon. Kathryn E. Hand; Boston Bar Journal (Feb. 9, 2023)).
Leading by Example: The Importance of Role Modeling for Lawyer Mental Health (Gavin Alexander; ABA Law Practice Today (Jan. 5, 2023)).
Massachusetts Bar Association Podcast: Massachusetts Lawyer Census (Nov. 10, 2022).
‘Our law students need help.’ Study finds higher rates of mental health problems (Karen Sloan; Reuters (July 13, 2022)).
Intervening Upstream: Why Firms Must Lead in Preventing Burnout (Kendra Brodin; Law Practice Today (July 12, 2022)).
‘Widespread Misery'‘: Why So Many Lawyers Hate Their Jobs — and are Desperate to Quit (Subscription Required)(Stephanie Russell-Kraft & Casey Sullivan; Business Insider (June 23, 2022)).
Law Firms Can Attract and Retain Talent by Providing Purpose for Young Attorneys (Subscription Required)(Barb McGivern; ABA Journal (June 1, 2022)).
How to Hold onto Your Lawyers (Dr. Larry Richard; Thomson Reuters Institute (June 2022)).
Fewer Than a Quarter of Burnt-Out Lawyers Feel Supported by Their Firm (Thomas Connelly; Legal Cheek (May 30, 2022)).
Pandemic Anxiety Wanes, but Legal Industry’s Mental Health Struggles Persist (Subscription Required)(Patrick Smith; The American Lawyer (May 10, 2022)).
About One-Fifth of Lawyers and Staffers Considered Suicide at Some Point in Their Careers, New Survey Says (Debra Cassens Weiss; ABA Journal (May 10, 2022)).
How Judges Can Mitigate Vicarious Trauma (Subscription Required)(Hon. Victor Reyes; ABA Journal (May 9, 2022)).
Trailblazing Toward Better Mental Health & Well-Being in Law: Q&A with Gavin Alexander, Well-Being Advocate (Gavin Alexander & Practical Law; Apr. 26, 2022).
Identifying Burnout and How to Fix It (Stephen M. Stepanovich; ABA After the Bar (Apr. 21, 2022)).
Implementing 'Wellness By Design' Into Your Legal Department: Free Survival Guide (Subscription Required)(Ronak Ray; Corporate Counsel (Apr. 20, 2022)).
How I Took Leave From and Returned to My Firm to Manage My Depression (Subscription Required)(Michael Kasdan; The American Lawyer (Apr. 20, 2022)).
Voices in Her Head: Renewed Focus on Attorney Mental Health After SNL Skit (Subscription Required)(Jasmine Floyd; The Recorder (Apr. 20, 2022)).
Why a Longtime Weil Litigator is Now the Firm’s First Chief Wellness Officer (Subscription Required)(Patrick Smith; The American Lawyer (Apr. 19, 2022)).
Do Law Firm Happy Hours Really Support Our Health & Happiness (Anne Brafford; Institute for Well-Being in Law (Mar. 31, 2022)).
Attorney Well-Being Declines, With Burnout on the Rise (Subscription Required)(Karen Miller-Kuwana & Linda Ouyang; Bloomberg Law (Mar. 3, 2022)).
Erasing the Mark: Mental Health Stigma in the Legal Profession (Disability Rights Tennessee & Nashville School of Law Legal Aid Society; Mar. 1, 2022).
Creating a Culture of Well-Being: Recommendations for Leaders (Heidi S. Alexander; Law Practice Today (Feb. 15, 2022)).
Supervisor Relationships Are Key To Beating Attorney Burnout (Anne Brafford; Law360 (Jan. 25, 2022)).
New York State Bar Association and Bar Foundation Launch Attorney Well-Being Fundraising Campaign (Susan DeSantis; NYSBA (Jan. 20, 2022)).
BigLaw Has A Chance To Toss Its Culture And Start Fresh (Subscription Required)(Aebra Coe; Law360 Pulse (Jan. 18, 2022)).
Buffalo attorney teaches new UB law school class on mental health, well-being (Subscription Required)(Scott Scanlon; The Buffalo News (Jan. 14, 2022)).
For Law Firms to Stave Off Attrition, Supporting Employees' Mental Health Is the First Step (Subscription Required)(Emily Litzinger; Law.com (Jan. 12, 2022)).
Make a Commitment: The CBA Well-Being Pledge is Dedicated to Achieving Positive Change (Subscription Required)(Traci Cipriano; Connecticut Law Tribune (Jan. 12, 2022)).
Suffering in Silence No More: Will Lawyers’ Stories Lead to Change? (Brandon Vogel & David King; New York State Bar Association (Jan. 3, 2022)).
Quinn Emanuel to Let US Lawyers Work Remotely on Permanent Basis (Subscription Required)(Dan Packel; The American Lawyer (Dec. 20, 2021).
The Unpleasant Truth About Law Firm Culture (Subscription Required)(Jordan Furlong; The American Lawyer (Dec. 17, 2021)).
Emotional Regulation: What It Is and Why Lawyers Need It (Kendra Brodin; Law Practice Today; Dec. 14, 2021)).
Legal Industry Needs to End ‘Blame and Shame’ on Mental Health (Karen K. Peters & M. Elizabeth “Libby” Coreno; Bloomberg Law (Nov. 10, 2021)).
New Partners Say Mental Health Stigma Persists Despite Law Firms' Efforts (Subscription Required)(Andrew Maloney; Law.com (Nov. 5, 2021)).
The Road to Attorney Well-Being: Past, Present, and Future (Heidi Alexander, Filippa Marullo & Laurie Capello; Boston Bar Journal (Nov. 3, 2021)).
O’Melveny Teams with Peloton, Becoming First Law Firm to Offer Corporate Wellness to Lawyers and Staff (O’Melveny Press Release; Sept. 14, 2021).
ANALYSIS: Anxious, Sleepless Lawyers Need Well-Being Resources (Subscription Required)(Francis Boustany; Bloomberg Law (Sept. 1, 2021)).
Boiling Point: Why Mental Health is the ‘Existential Crisis’ Facing the Legal Profession (Bryan R. Parker, Scott Langley & Nadia Lee; Law.com (Aug. 16, 2021)).
Hybrid Work Models Are Key To Gender Parity In Law Firms (Subscription Required)(Roberta Liebenberg & Stephanie Scharf; Law360 (July 16, 2021)).
Talking Trendspotter: How Can Law Firms Prove They Actually Care About Mental Health? Be Honest About When They Don’t (Subscription Required)(Zack Needles; Law.com (July 1, 2021)).
Lawyers ‘Drop the Facade’ on Mental Health: Q&A with Quinn’s Joe Milowic (Sara Menken; Reuters (June 22, 2021)).
Transformation in a Culture of Conflict (Amy G. Pruett; Law Practice Today (June 15, 2021)).
Legal Professionals Were Already Struggling With Stress and Isolation, and the Pandemic Has Made Things Much Worse (Subscription Required)(Dylan Jackson; American Lawyer (May 3, 2021)).
The Legal Industry’s Mental Health Problems Grew in 2020, Our Survey Shows (Subscription Required)(ALM Staff; American Lawyer (May 3, 2021)).
What’s Working Well in Law Firm Well-Being Programs? (Institute for Well-Being in Law (May 2021)).
Remote Work has Permanently Altered Law Firm Life, for Better and for Worse (Subscription Required)(Christine Simmons; Law.com (Apr. 13, 2021)).
One in 10 Young Lawyers Worldwide ‘Experiencing Suicidal Thoughts’ (Jemma Slingo; The Law Society Gazette (Apr. 8, 2021)).
Overdue Calls for Help Red Flag for Lawyer Well-Being Advocates (Subscription Required)(Melissa Heelan; Bloomberg Law (Feb. 1, 2021)).
On Stress (Jason E. Armiger; Mass. Bar Association Section Review (Jan./Feb. 2021)).
Vicarious Trauma is Real... and Really, Really Common with Lawyers (Brandon Vogel; New York State Bar Association Bar News (July 7, 2020)).
How Do Lawyers Cope with Stress? Advice for New Graduates (Tish Vincent; Law Practice Today (Apr. 2020)).
Virus Poses Latest Test to Supporting Attys’ Mental Health (Aebra Coe; Law360 (Mar. 24, 2020)).
Making Positive Changes Toward Lawyer Well-Being (Robert Thornhill; The Alabama Lawyer (Nov. 2019)).
Attorney Wellness: The Science of Stress and the Road to Well-Being (M. Elizabeth Coreno & Kerry Murray O’Hara; New York State Bar Association Journal (Oct. 2019)).
Is the Legal Industry Ready for a Culture Shift on Mental Health? (Subscription Required)(Lizzy McLellan; Law.com (May 30, 2019)).
Minnesota Supreme Court Taking Aim at Mental Health ‘Crisis’ in Legal Profession (Stephen Montemayor; Star Tribune (Mar. 2, 2019)).
‘Scared. Ashamed. Crippled.’: How One Lawyer Overcame Living with Depression in Big Law (Subscription Required)(Mark S. Goldstein; The American Lawyer (Feb. 12, 2019)).
Well-Being for Attorneys (Stewart Levine; L. Prac. Today (Jan. 14, 2019)).
‘Big Law Killed My Husband’: An Open Letter from a Sidley Partner’s Widow (Joanna Litt; The American Lawyer (Nov. 12, 2018)).
What Law Firms Can Do to Promote Mental Health for Their Lawyers (Subscription Required)(Anne Marie Seibel; American Bar Association (June 13, 2018)).
Lawyers Weigh In: How to Prevent Stress, Substance Abuse and Depression in the Profession (Dina Roth Port; ABA Journal (June 5, 2018)).
How to Avoid Burnout: Ideas for Improving Your Current Condition (Subscription Required)(Megan Grandinetti; ABA TYL (May 15, 2018)).
Lawyers Weigh In: Why Is There a Depression Epidemic in the Profession? (Dina Roth Port; ABA Journal (May 11, 2018)).
When Lawyers Need Help, Let’s Make Sure They Don’t Fear Getting It (Hon. Jorge Labarga; Fla. Bar News (May 1, 2018)).
Quinn Emanuel Partner Suffers from Depression and He Wants Everyone to Know (Subscription Required)(Joseph Milowic III; N.Y. Law Journal (Mar. 28, 2018)).
The Mental-Health Crisis in Law (Daniel Fish; Precedent Magazine (Mar. 6, 2018)).
How to Maintain Resilience When Dealing with a Mental Health Condition (Subscription Required)(Tish Vincent; ABA TYL (Mar. 1, 2018)).
Law Firms Finally Say It’s OK to See a Therapist (Sara Randazzo; Wall Street Journal (May 24, 2017)).
Tackling Emotionally Draining Matters (Yoninah R. Orenstein; ABA TYL (May 15, 2017)).
Addicted or Depressed Lawyers Need More than ‘Wellness’ (Subscription Required)(Patrick R. Krill; Law.com (Apr. 19, 2017)).
Trauma for the Tough-Minded Prosecutor (Stacy Miles-Thorpe; The Texas Prosecutor Journal (July-Aug. 2016)).
How BigLaw Contributes to High Attorney Depression Rates (Subscription Required)(Natalie Rodriguez; Law360 (June 24, 2016)).
The Legal Profession’s Drinking Problem (Patrick Krill; CNN Opinion (Feb. 6, 2016)).
How Lawyers Can Avoid Burnout and Debilitating Anxiety (Leslie Gordon; ABA Journal (July 1, 2015)).
Why Lawyers are Prone to Suicide (Patrick Krill; CNN Opinion (Jan. 21, 2014)).
A Resilient Mindset: Take Stock of What You Lost and What You Gained to Move Forward (Laura Mahr; North Carolina State Bar).