Lawyer Well-being

• Jurisdiction: Utah,United States
• Citation: Vol. 36 No. 1 Pg. 52
• Pages: 52
• Publication year: 2023

Lawyer Well-Being Vol. 36 No. 1 Pg. 52 Utah Bar Journal January, 2023

February, 2023

Lawyering Through the Stigma of Addiction

by Kent B. Scott

My name is Kent, and I am an alcoholic and addict with thirty-five years of recovery. Would it surprise you to know that my recovery was fueled by the Utah Bar and Bench? Most notably, I am grateful to my family and the two law firms I worked for. I am now looking back on thirty-five years of recovery and can say without a doubt there is so much good in this Bar. There is hope for the future. There is recovery on the horizon, but we need to change who we are and what we are doing. More specifically, how can we better relate to one another in the fight against addiction?

Where are we now and where are we going?

Unfortunately, my challenges are far from unique in the legal profession. Too many of us struggle with some sort of well-being and health-related concerns. Fortunately, our profession is beginning to pay attention.

In 2019, the Utah Bar hired researchers from the University of Utah to conduct a study identifying the state of lawyer well-being and the existence and impact of depression, stress, and substance abuse. The goal of this research is to understand where we currently stand and to identify any potential risk and protective factors that can guide our efforts toward effective improvement. In other words, the Utah Bar wants to understand what is happening, why it is happening, and how we can make a positive...