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The newly published landmark Report, Towards A Healthier Profession (full report, PDF), authored by Stephanie Scharf and Roberta Liebenberg, presents data on thousands of lawyers who are experiencing fair or poor mental health, high-risk alcohol use or drug use, gambling, high levels of stress and burnout.

Everyone in the profession has a part to play.

The authors’ data-driven best practices show the way forward to positive change. The key is structural change. Individual self-care matters, but lasting progress depends on employers and organizations doing their part. The authors show  employers, bar associations, judges and individual lawyers how to build a healthier profession.

The authors call on employers to “lead from the top,” by speaking to the importance of taking actions and setting policies that support wellness. Their research shows that employers who encourage lawyers to seek help, allow time off for treatment, provide training, counseling or mindfulness programs, and have reasonable workload policies reap positive results: those employers have higher retention with lawyers who are healthier, more productive, and less prone to make mistakes. The authors notably provide a range of policies and practices that can suit many different work settings.

The authors also provide Bar Associations with a playbook of programs, including CLEs, mentoring, and advocacy for change towards a healthier profession. Judges can obtain guidance on modeling civility, setting realistic schedules, and recognizing vicarious trauma and cognitive decline.

Individual lawyers can take steps, as well, including protecting their time off, reaching out to someone they trust and getting professional help early, and encouraging their employers to set realistic policies to facilitate better mental and physical health .

What you can do

Read the Report, which presents the findings, the voices behind the numbers, and data-based best practices for a healthier profession.

Read it here: Towards A Healthier Profession (full report, PDF)

Bring the findings to your organization: Authors Stephanie A. Scharf, J.D., Ph.D. and Roberta D. Liebenberg, J.D. are available for CLE programs, keynotes and briefings.