By Elizabeth L. Luckenbach
and Colby L. Boman
Mental Health Awareness Month (also known as Mental Health Month) has been observed in the U.S. since 1949.(1) Started by Mental Health America (formerly known as the National Association for Mental Health). Mental Health Awareness Month is an opportunity to raise awareness of and educate the public about mental illness, the realities of living with mental illness, and strategies for attaining mental wellness. It’s also an opportunity to reduce the stigma that surrounds mental illness.
The well-being of lawyers has become a focus in legal organizations in recent years. In the legal profession, well-being is defined as “a 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.”(2)
It should come as no surprise that lawyers have higher rates of mental illness than professionals in other fields. But despite the recent focus on lawyer well-being inside the profession, a recent study by Bloomberg Law shows that mental health issues are still extremely common, particularly among law students.(3)
According to the study, over half of the surveyed law students believed their well-being worsened during their fall 2022 semester. Overall, more women than men reported their well-being “significantly worsened” over that time.
In response to the mental health crisis that lawyers face, the Michigan Supreme Court and State Bar of Michigan created the Task Force on Well-Being in the Law on May 5, 2022.(4) This special initiative “responds to studies indicating that lawyers, judges and law students suffer from higher-than-average rates of problem drinking and substance use, anxiety, depression, and stress.” The group was formed after the results of two major studies, both of which revealed alarmingly high rates of substance use issues and a reluctance to seek help.(5)
Additionally, the OCBA created its Lawyer Well-Being Committee in 2022. Through the tireless leadership efforts of Chair Sarah Kuchon and Vice Chair Mary Aretha, the committee has promoted and supported the overall health and well-being of legal professionals by providing education, resources, and connection. The committee has also helped facilitate, destigmatize, and encourage help-seeking behaviors to advance the betterment of the legal profession and prioritize the health and well-being of lawyers and judges as a centerpiece of professional success.
The efforts of the State Bar of Michigan, the OCBA, and myriad other professional legal organizations around the county demonstrate how important it is to be informed about mental health — not just the prevalence of mental health issues but also what resources are available. The Oakland County Bar Association lists a number of different resources on its website at ocba.org/wellbeing_committee.
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(1)en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mental_Health_Awareness_Month.
(2)The Path to Lawyer Well-Being: Practical Recommendations for Positive Change, American Bar Association Commission on Lawyer Assistance Programs, National Organization of Bar Counsel, and Association of Professional Responsibility Lawyers, August 2017.
(3)news.bloomberglaw.com/bloomberg-law-analysis/analysis-well-being-in-law-school-law-students-arent-ok.
(4)courts.michigan.gov/administration/special-initiatives/well-being-in-the-law.
(5)Jerome M. Organ, David B. Ja?e, and Katherine M. Bender, “Suffering in Silence: The Survey of Law Student Well-Being and the Reluctance of Law Students to Seek Help for Substance Use and Mental Health Concerns,” Journal of Legal Education, Vol. 66, No. 1 (2016); Patrick R. Krill, Ryan Johnson, and Linda Albert, “The Prevalence of Substance Use and Other Mental Health Concerns Among American Attorneys,” Journal of Addiction Medicine, Vol. 10, No. 1 (2016).
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Elizabeth L. Luckenbach is the 90th president of the Oakland County Bar Association. Luckenbach is a member in Dickinson Wright LLP’s Troy office.
Colby L. Boman graduated from law school in 2020 and is employed at Collins Einhorn Farrell PC as an associate in the Professional Liability practice group. She is a member of the OCBA’s Lawyer Well-Being Committee and enjoys spending time with her 2-year-old daughter.
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