Anything else? PERCEPTIONS What are the perceptions of lawyers? 1/18/2019 PERCEPTIONS What are the perceptions of lawyers? Some, surely not all words or ideas that are often shared include: Workaholics 24/7 on demand Adversarial Highly competitive Losing’s unacceptable “Bet the Company” cases Tough, invulnerable, invincible Sacrifice our personal health Wear our invincibility as a badge of honor & suffer alone Anything else?

Alcoholism: 18% (2 x gen pop) High Anxiety: 19% Mental Disorders: 33% 1/18/2019 Alcoholism: 18% (2 x gen pop) High Anxiety: 19% Mental Disorders: 33% Severe Depression: 3.6X more Suicide: 2X general population NATIONAL LAWYER MENTAL HEALTH STATISTICS Unfortunately all of that comes at a price The data is pretty overwhelming The National Lawyer Mental Health Statistics show that us Lawyers have: Alcoholism: 18% (double gen pop) High Anxiety: 19% Mental Disorders: 33% Severe Depression: 3.6X more Suicide: 2X general population Whether it is one person or two times the national average…it’s too many.

33% suffer from high stress 32% struggle with work life balance 1/18/2019 33% suffer from high stress 32% struggle with work life balance 36% have considered a change careers 43% experience a great deal of stress TFB STUDY OF LAWYERS Of OUR Florida Lawyers: 33% suffer from high stress 32% struggle with work life balance 36% would change careers if they could 43% experience a great deal of stress

23% Mild to moderate anxiety 14% Severe anxiety 1/18/2019 MENTAL HEALTH OF LAW STUDENTS 23% Mild to moderate anxiety 14% Severe anxiety 17% Suffer with depression 6% Serious suicidal thoughts And, sadly, it starts early! The MENTAL HEALTH OF LAW STUDENTS includes: 23% Mild to moderate anxiety 14% Severe anxiety 17% Suffer with depression 6% Serious suicidal thoughts

WHAT MAKES LAWYERS HAPPY ? 1/18/2019 WHAT MAKES LAWYERS HAPPY ? (Krieger/Sheldon, Geo. Wash. L.R. 2015) So what makes happy lawyers Lawrence Krieger a clinical professor at FSU and Author of The George Washington Law Review “What Makes Lawyers Happy?: A data-driven Prescription to Redefine Professional Success”

6200 Lawyers 140 Judges 4 States KRIEGER’S STUDY OF LAWYERS 1/18/2019 6200 Lawyers 140 Judges 4 States KRIEGER’S STUDY OF LAWYERS So Krieger conducted a study of 6200 lawyers, 140 judges and 4 states

TRADITIONAL SUCCESS - EXTERNAL 1/18/2019 TRADITIONAL SUCCESS - EXTERNAL (income, status, honors, fame…) INTERNAL SUCCESS - PERSONAL (integrity, closeness to others, enjoyment/meaning in work…) DATA: TWO DISTINCT FORMS OF SUCCESS & HAPPINESS

External success is slightly helpful for well-being 1/18/2019 External success is slightly helpful for well-being Internal success is critical for well-being VERY DIFFERENT IMPACTS ON LAWYER WELL-BEING

REFRAME SUCCESS Success includes well-being 1/18/2019 Success includes well-being First seek internal success, then external success Do not displace internal success with pay, etc. REFRAME SUCCESS So what does this mean? We need to reframe our notions of and our “professional success”

KRIEGER’S PROFILE OF A HAPPY LAWYER Knows and appreciates himself/herself Seeks to improve more than accumulate Often feels close to others Seeks to help others, community Finds meaning and enjoyment in work Gives and receives support at work Growth mindset According to Krieger these are the attributes of a happy lawyer

ECONOMIC AND ETHICAL REASONS TO SUPPORT LAWYER WELL-BEING NATIONAL TASK FORCE ON LAWYER WELL-BEING The Path to Lawyer Well-Being: Practical Recommendations for Positive Change 1/18/2019 ECONOMIC AND ETHICAL REASONS TO SUPPORT LAWYER WELL-BEING LAWYER WELL-BEING CONTRIBUTES TO ORGANIZATIONAL SUCCESS If cognitive function is impaired legal professionals will be unable to do their best work Worker well-being in the form of engagement is linked to: Lower turnover High client satisfaction Higher productivity and profitability

ECONOMIC AND ETHICAL REASONS TO SUPPORT LAWYER WELL-BEING 1/18/2019 NATIONAL TASK FORCE ON LAWYER WELL-BEING The Path to Lawyer Well-Being: Practical Recommendations for Positive Change LAWYER WELL-BEING INFLUENCES ETHICS AND PROFESSIONALISM Troubled lawyers can struggle with even minimum competence Overall-untreated mental health issues can ruin lives and careers ECONOMIC AND ETHICAL REASONS TO SUPPORT LAWYER WELL-BEING

ECONOMIC AND ETHICAL REASONS TO SUPPORT LAWYER WELL-BEING 1/18/2019 NATIONAL TASK FORCE ON LAWYER WELL-BEING The Path to Lawyer Well-Being: Practical Recommendations for Positive Change The National Task Force report defines lawyer well-being 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 Social connections with others ECONOMIC AND ETHICAL REASONS TO SUPPORT LAWYER WELL-BEING

TFB STANDING COMMITTEE ON MENTAL HEALTH AND WELLNESS 1/18/2019 TFB STANDING COMMITTEE ON MENTAL HEALTH AND WELLNESS Mission Destigmatize mental illness in the legal community (lawyers and judges); Educate employers, judges and lawyers how to identify and address mental health illness of Florida lawyers and Create “best practices” on how to address mental health issues; Educate lawyers about the benefits of balancing personal life and career obligations; Provide wellness programs to provide Florida lawyers with healthy strategies to deal with the pressures of their practices to enhance the mental health and wellness of Florida lawyers.

TFB STANDING COMMITTEE ON MENTAL HEALTH AND WELLNESS Current Goals CLE programs on mental health issues focusing on destigmatizing mental illness, creating healthy ways to discuss mental health issues, and providing lawyers and law firms with best practices on how to address lawyers who are struggling with mental illness; Enhanced 24-hour Helpline/Hotline to address mental health and related issues; Create services at The Florida Bar for lawyers and judges struggling with mental health issues and increase accessibility to, and awareness of, these programs; Creation of support/peer support groups; Addition of member benefits focused on improving the mental health and wellness of Florida lawyers; Discussion with law schools; the Florida Supreme Court and/or the Florida Board of Bar Examiners to discuss the effect of mental health issues on admission to The Florida Bar. 1/18/2019 TFB STANDING COMMITTEE ON MENTAL HEALTH AND WELLNESS

VISIT OUR WEBPAGE Florida Bar’s Mental Health & Wellness Center www.floridabar.org/member/healthandwellnesscenter/