Description
Book SynopsisRecent years have witnessed growing concern internationally in wellbeing and mental health across the legal community, a shift reflected in a host of initiatives, networks, reports and research studies. Changes to working patterns, generational shifts, and an increased interest in overall wellbeing have contributed to a growing movement towards better working practices – across all industries but particularly in high pressure professions such as law. The genesis of the lawyer wellbeing movement in the United States has spread to the UK, EU, Canada and Australia. In this opening chapter, Bree Buchanan, chair of the ABA Commission, covers the 2016 research regarding lawyer and law student impairment that served as the catalyst for creating the National Task Force on Lawyer Wellbeing. From this coalition of national organizations came the 2017 Report, which in turn launched a wide variety of national and state policy and practice innovations. Bree summarizes a snapshot of those developments.
Trade ReviewIt combines clear (and sometimes alarming) up-to-date data on lawyer wellbeing and mental illness, personal testimony of burnout from senior professionals, practical steps for individuals and organisations to enhance resilience, and an unanswerable case that those firms which put wellbeing at the heart of their business culture will be far better positioned to thrive, even in the current economic crisis.
Table of ContentsChapter 1: The lawyer wellbeing movement, By Bree Buchanan, chair, ABA Commission Chapter 2: Emotional competence for wellbeing, By Emma Jones, senior lecturer, University of Sheffield Law School Chapter 3: The Mindful Business Charter, By Kate Dodd, diversity and inclusion consultant, Pinsent Masons LLP Chapter 4: Culture and practice of law – creating lasting change, By Elizabeth Rimmer, chief executive, LawCare Chapter 5: Conversations that matter, By Lubna Gem Arielle, corporate facilitator and applied theatre practitioner Chapter 6: Creating psychological safety, By Matt Dean, byrne·dean Chapter 7: Junior lawyers and mental ill health, By Kayleigh Leonie, Trustee, LawCare Chapter 8: Anxiety and junior lawyers, By Richard Collier, professor, University of Newcastle Chapter 9: Supervising without stress, By Paul Bennett, Bennett Briegal Chapter 10: Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal and Courts approach to mental health, By Paul Bennett, Bennett Briegal Chapter 11: Having your cake and eating it – how enhanced wellbeing and excellent professional performance go hand-in-hand, By James Pereira, FTB Chambers
