The escalating crisis of mental health in the legal profession calls for a holistic approach to enhancing work-life balance, curbing substance abuse, and managing stress, with a commitment to fostering a healthier, more sustainable work environment for lawyers.
The 2022 ALM survey reveals alarming statistics on the mental health of lawyers, with 75% admitting that the profession negatively affects their mental health and almost a quarter having contemplated suicide.
Legal teams ask a practical question. If large language models are so capable, why does legal AI still depend on curated content, and why does surfacing that content matter so much?
56% of Biglaw attorneys describe themselves as unsatisfied.
* Roy Moore's lawyer -- you know, Richard Jaffe, the Jewish one -- is a "passionate supporter" of Senator-elect Doug Jones, and raised and donated money for his Senate campaign before voting for him in the Alabama special election. [Washington Examiner] * Eversheds Sutherland celebrated the new year by announcing a merger with a Dutch affiliate firm, composed of eight partners and 32 lawyers across two offices. It'll be known as Eversheds Sutherland Netherlands once the acquisition is complete. [American Lawyer] * Speaking of mergers, Ballard Spahr celebrated the new year by completing its combination with Lindquist & Vennum. Ballard Spahr will retain its name, and the new firm will have 650 lawyers across 15 offices in the U.S. [Big Law Business] * The former head of alumni relations for Chicago's John Marshall Law claims in a new lawsuit that he was fired due to the school's bias against older male employees. He alleges that Dean Darby Dickerson is trying to "eliminate the employment of men, and particularly older men." [Law360 (sub. req.)] * "If you're too busy to follow this advice, you should follow this advice." Try this New Year's resolution on for size: take better care of yourself with these stress management tips. [Law.com]
Managing stress and eliminating distraction are necessary skills for every lawyer, regardless of the size or type of practice.
Let the condescending coddling commence!
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How we cope with stress is an important part of how well we manage our careers and find contentment with our practices.
Here are 12 suggestions, from small-firm columnist Gary J. Ross.
For lawyers, stress moderation is crucial; we can't change or avoid daily stressors, but we can change our reaction to those stress-inducing situations.