Some Law Firms Try To 'Eliminate Stigma' From Attorneys Struggling With Mental-Health Issues
When will law firms begin to offer the help their attorneys so desperately need?
Thanks to their incredibly stressful jobs, lawyers are prone to addiction and struggle with mental-health issues like depression, both at higher rates than the general population. According to a recent study, 20.6 percent of lawyers surveyed classified themselves as heavy drinkers, and 28 percent of those surveyed said they experienced symptoms of depression. According to the most recent data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the legal industry has the eleventh highest suicide rate. Despite these facts, lawyers are less likely than others to seek out help because they don’t want to admit they have a problem.
When will law firms begin to offer the help their attorneys so desperately need?
Patrick Krill, who was once a practicing attorney and now consults law firms on addiction counseling, says that the help often comes too late. “Unfortunately, the help really begins to emerge when the performance falls off,” he said in an interview with Sara Randazzo of the Wall Street Journal. Some Biglaw firms, though, are starting to come around to the idea that their associates, partners, and staff members may need help, which is a welcome change.
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Some U.S. law firms are tackling mental-health issues head-on. They’re offering on-site psychologists, training staff to spot problems and incorporating mental-health support alongside other wellness initiatives.
“We’re trying to eliminate some of the stigma around these issues,” said Tracee Whitley, the U.S. chief of operations at global law firm Norton Rose Fulbright. The firm has trained 20 U.S. employees to be mental-health first-aid responders, who can spot warning signs of addiction or mental-health concerns and offer assistance.
Some firms, like Hogan & Lovells, for example, have even gone so far as to offer the services of an on-site psychologist to all employees in a few of its offices. Oliver Armas, the managing partner of the firm’s New York office, says the counseling service has been a “rousing success.” The psychologist’s services are part of the New York office’s wellness program, which includes an on-site masseur, gym memberships, and healthy snacks. “The hours are long. We do what we can to soften the blow,” Armas said. Kudos to Hogan & Lovells for its forward-looking initiatives to help its attorneys in need.
Other firms, however, are still hesitant to offer such helpful services for fear of what the competition at other law firms might think:
Leaders at several major firms bristled at the idea of bringing a therapist into the office, saying it isn’t needed, could cause privacy concerns or would send the wrong message.
Joseph Andrew, the global chairman of Dentons, said that while he applauded Hogan Lovells for having an on-site psychologist, the fear of offering such a service is that “our competitors will say we have crazy lawyers.”
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To that, we say, so what if competitors think the firm is full of “crazy lawyers”? Statements like this only serve to further stigmatize getting psychological assistance or substance-abuse treatment. Instead, firms ought to welcome the opportunity to intervene and help their “crazy lawyers” before their problems grow even worse. With on-site mental-health services, perhaps Biglaw firms would have fewer “crazy lawyers” and more “stable, well-adjusted lawyers.”
What has your law firm done to assist its attorneys and staff members with their mental-health and self-care? These are important perks that could influence employees’ job decisions. Please reach out to us via email (subject line: “[Firm Name] Mental-Health Initiatives”) or text at (646) 820-8477. Thanks.
If you’re depressed and in need help, please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (1-800-273-8255) or a lawyer assistance program in your state. Remember that you are loved, so please reach out if you need assistance, before it’s too late. Don’t become a statistic — please seek help.
Law Firms Finally Say It’s OK to See a Therapist [Wall Street Journal (sub. req.)]
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Staci Zaretsky has been an editor at Above the Law since 2011. She’d love to hear from you, so please feel free to email her with any tips, questions, or comments. You can follow her on Twitter or connect with her on LinkedIn.
