We're Better Together: Lawyers Helping Judges, Lawyers, and Law Students

• Author: From the ABA Working Group to Advance Well-Being in the Legal Profession
• Pages: 20-21

20 FAMILY ADVOCATE www.shopaba.org

Well-Being Pledge for Legal Employers

e ABA Well-Being Pledge Campaign for legal employers

was launched to ensure the long-term health and well-being

of the legal profession, reduce the incidence of problematic

substance use and mental health distress, and challenge the

stigma surrounding these issues.

Well-Being Pledge Campaign

e ABA Well-Being Campaign was launched to improve

the substance use and mental health landscape of the legal

profession, with an emphasis on helping legal employers

support healthy work environment. e primary vehicle for

the Campaign is a Pledge calling upon legal employers

 



to

a%orneysandstaf‌f

onwellbeing,

mentalhealth,

andsubstanceuse

disorders.

 

atf‌irmeventsby

seekingcrea

andensuringthatnon

alcoholicalterna

alwaysavailable.

 whoare

commi%edtoreducingsubstanceuse

disordersandmentalhealthdistressin

theprofession.

 



toaddic

mentalhealth

expertsand

resources,including

free,inhouse,

selfassessment

tools.

 

and

protocolsto

support

assessmentand

treatmentof

substanceuseand

mentalhealth

problems,

includingadef‌ined

backtowork

policyfollowing

treatment.

6. Showthatthe

includetakingcareofyourself

andgeBnghelpwhenneededby

regularly&ac

programstoimprovephysical,

mentalandemo

 ,andthef‌irm’s

commitmenttotheseprinciples,

toa%ractandretainthebest

lawyersandstaf‌f.



AmericanBarAssocia-onWorkingGrouptoAdvanceWellBeingintheLegalProfession

WE’RE BETTER TOGETHER

Lawyers Helping Judges, Lawyers, and Law Students

ABA Working Group to Advance Well-Being in the Legal Profession

From the ABA Commission on Lawyer Assistance Programs (CoLAP)

(including law rms, corporate entities, government agencies

and legal aid organizations) to rst: (a) recognize that

substance use and mental health problems represent a

signicant challenge for the legal profession and acknowledge

that more can and should be done to improve the health and

well-being of lawyers; and, (b) pledge to support the Cam-

paign and work to adopt and prioritize its seven-point

framework for building a better future.

During the second stage of the Campaign, a Commit-

ment Form will be circulated annually asking participants

to describe any steps taken toward the objectives set out in

the framework during the previous year and recommit to

the Pledge.

Published in Family Advocate, Volume 43, Number 3, Winter 2021. © 2021 by the American Bar Association. Reproduced with permission. All rights reserved. This information or any portion thereof

may not be copied or disseminated in any form or by any means or stored in an electronic database or retrieval system without the express written consent of the American Bar Association.

WINTER 2021 21

Well-Being Toolkit For Lawyers & Legal Employers

3 Reasons

To Care About

Well-Being

1. It’s the right thing to do

2. It impacts competence

3. It’s good for business

13 Healthy

Workplace Factors

1. Culture of Trust

2. Mental Health Support

3. Eective Leadership

4. Civility & Respect

5. Good Person-Job Fit

6. Growth & Development

7. Recognition & Reward

8. Involvement & Inuence

9. Workload Management

10. Employee Engagement

11. Work-Life Balance Support

12. Psychological Safety

13. Physical Safety

6 Dimensions Of

Lawyer Well-Being

1. Occupational: Satisfaction,

Growth, Financial Stability

2. Emotional: Manage Emotions

& Protect Mental Health

3. Physical: Healthy Lifestyle,

Help-Seeking When Needed

4. Intellectual: Learn, Pursue

Challenge, Keep Developing

5. Spiritual: Meaning & Purpose

6. Social: Connection, Belonging,

Contributing

8-Step Action Plan

For Launching A

Well-Being Program

1. Enlist Leaders

2. Start a Well-Being Committee

3. Dene Well-Being

4. Do a Needs Assessment

5. Identify Priorities

6. Make & Execute an Action Plan

7. Create a Well-Being Policy

8. Measure, Evaluate, & Improve

Many legal employers are ready to become positive change agents on the path to lawyer well-being but are

unsure where to start. To help, the American Bar Association’s Presidential Working Group to Advance Well-

Being in the Legal Profession has launched the Well-Being Toolkit for Lawyers and Legal Employers. This

nutshell summarizes 80 of the Toolkit’s key items to help get you started on a lawyer well-being initiative.

Well-Being Toolkit Nutshell:

80 Tips For Lawyer Thriving

ABA Presidential Working Group To Advance Well-Being in the Legal Profession

Well-Being Toolkit for Lawyers and Le gal

Employers

e new Well-Being Toolkit for Lawyers and Legal Employ-

ers oers tools and practical guidance for legal employers

who want to join the lawyer well-being movement by

launching organizational initiatives. Also available is the

Well-Being Toolkit Nutshell: 80 Tips for Lawyer riving,

summarizing 80 of the Toolkit’s key items to help get you

started on a lawyer well-being initiative. e Toolkit was

created by Anne Braord, member of the Working Group to

Advance Well-Being in the Legal Profession.

Well-Being Pledge for Legal Employers

e ABA Well-Being Pledge Campaign for legal employers

was launched to ensure the long-term health and well-being

of the legal profession, reduce the incidence of problematic

substance use and mental health distress, and challenge the

stigma surrounding these issues.

Download the toolkit and take the pledge at

https://www.americanbar.org/groups/lawyer_assistance

Published in Family Advocate, Volume 43, Number 3, Winter 2021. © 2021 by the American Bar Association. Reproduced with permission. All rights reserved. This information or any portion thereof

may not be copied or disseminated in any form or by any means or stored in an electronic database or retrieval system without the express written consent of the American Bar Association.