It is well known that the legal profession generally experiences higher levels of stress than other professions.  A lawyer who is under a lot of stress is more likely to make mistakes and commit malpractice or ethical infractions.  Moreover, stress in a lawyer's professional life can have adverse effects on the lawyer's personal life, notably your physical, behavioral or psychological well-being may be impaired.  This is why stress management is so important. 

In this module, you will:

• Learn about the causes of stress in relation to the practice of law;
• Apply various stress management techniques to your own life; and 
• Reflect on your own stressors and how to manage issues when they arrive.

RESOURCES:

Articles

• Illinois Lawyers’ Assistance Program, Publications
• Capitalizing on Health Lawyers: The Business Case for Law Firms to Promote and Prioritize Lawyer Well-Being (Jarrod F. Reich, Villanova Law Review, Co, 65, Issue 2, Sept. 8, 2020)
• The Path to Lawyer Well-being, The Report of the National Task Force on Lawyer Well-Being (Aug. 14, 2017)
• Practicing Law in the Pandemic and Moving Forward (Scharf S & Liebenberg RD, ABA 2021)
• The Prevalence of Substance Use and Other Mental Health Concerns Among American Attorneys (Krill PR, Johnson R, Albert L, J. Addict Med., Vol. 10, Issue 1, Feb. 2016)
• Stress, Drink, Leave: An Examination of Gender Specific Risk Factors for Mental Health Problems & Attrition Among Licensed Attorneys (Anker J, Krill PR, PloS ONE 16(5): e0250563, May 12, 2021)
• Stress in America: January 2021 Stress Snapshot (APA, 2021)

ARDC On-Demand CLE Programs

• Attorney Well-Being: The Intersection of Physical, Spiritual and Emotional Wellness (1 hr.)
• Attorney Wellness (0.25 hr.)
• Learning the Art of Mindfulness: A Wellness Approach for the Legal Profession (1 hr.)

Podcasts

• Attorney Mental Health and Wellness, Larry Krieger, The Florida Bar Podcast, Legal Talk Network (Jan. 31, 2018)
• "On Balance" Podcast Series, The State Bar of Michigan
• The Path to Well-Being Podcasts
• Substance Abuse in the Legal Profession, Jeff Kuester, The Florida Bar Podcast, Legal Talk Network (Feb. 20, 2018)
• Voices of Recovery Podcast Series, ABA Commission on Lawyer Assistance Programs

Templates

Well-Being Template for Legal Employers (Theresa Gronkiewicz, ABA Commission on Lawyer Assistance Programs)

Informational Websites

• Illinois Lawyers’ Assistance Program
• ABA Commission on Lawyer Assistance Programs
• Institute for Well-Being in Law
• International Bar Association, Mental wellbeing in the legal profession
• Lawyers with Depression

Credits:
Content Contributor:  Christine Anderson, Intake Group Manager and Director of  Probation and Lawyer Referral Services, ARDC
Video Presenter: Dr. Diana Uchiyama, JD, PsyD, CAADC, Executive Director, Lawyers' Assistance Program