Ed. note: This post is by Jeena Cho, a Legal Mindfulness Strategist at Start Here HQ. She is the co-author of The Anxious Lawyer (affiliate link), a book written by lawyers for lawyers that makes mindfulness and meditation accessible and approachable. Jeena offers actionable change strategies for reducing stress and anxiety while increasing productivity, joy, and satisfaction through mindfulness.
Last week, the National Task Force on Lawyer Well-Being issued a 73-page report on “creating a movement to improve well-being in the legal profession.”
The report states what we know from the data: “To be a good lawyer, one has to be a healthy lawyer. Sadly, our profession is falling short when it comes to well-being.”
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Well-being is defined as the “continuous process whereby lawyers seek to thrive in each of the following areas: emotional health, occupational pursuits, creative or intellectual endeavors, sense of spirituality or greater purpose in life, physical health, and social connections with others.”
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Included in the report are suggestions for bar associations, legal employers, and other stakeholders for increasing well-being in the legal profession. You can access the full report here.
Their recommendations for increasing well-being for legal employers include the following:
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Form A Lawyer Well-Being Committee
Lawyers love to form committees but surprisingly, many law firms don’t have a well-being committee. This is an obvious place to start. If your firm doesn’t have a well-being committee, start one!
From the report, “…legal employers should launch a well-being initiative by forming a Lawyer Well-Being Committee or appointing a Well-Being Advocate.”