The National Task Force on Lawyer Well-Being said in a report released earlier this week that law schools must change their cultures so that everyone—professors, administrators, and students—takes responsibility for student well-being. The report, issued by a coalition of groups including the American Bar Association and the Association of Professional Responsibility Lawyers, stems from a groundbreaking study published last year showing that more than 40 percent of students felt they needed mental-health help and a quarter were at risk for problem drinking. Read the rest of the story here.
Some Law Schools Take The Lead in Students’ Well-Being, Report Finds
Hope Counts: One Lawyer With Depression’s Testimony
I am a lawyer, as many of you.
I went to law school and passed the bar exam like you.
I also struggle with depression like too many of you, as well.
A new study by the American Bar Association and the Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation found that twenty-eight percent of over 12,825 practicing lawyers polled reported a problem with depression. This is over three times the rate found in the general population. When put in perspective, of the 1.2 million attorneys in this country, over 336,000 reported symptoms of clinical depression.
Levels of stress, anxiety, and problem drinking were also significant, with 23%, 19%, and 20.6% experiencing symptoms of stress, anxiety, and hazardous drinking, respectively.
“This is a mainstream problem in the legal profession,” said the study’s lead author, Patrick Krill, director of the Legal Professionals Program at the Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation, and a lawyer himself. “There needs to be
The Reason Why Big Law Lawyers Are Unhappy
The website LawFuel reports: “A recent report shows that just 44 percent of BigLaw lawyers report satisfaction with their careers, compared to 68 percent of public sector lawyers.” Read the News
Should Mental Health Questions Remain on Bar Applications
A resolution that would remove several questions about mental health on bar applications was proposed and discussed last month by the ABA’s House of Delegates. Read the News
Stemming the Tide of Law Student Depression
A Yale law professor’s Journal article about the causes of law school depression and what the science of Positive Psychology can teach us. Read the Article
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