The Happy app, created by former Big Law attorney Jeremy Fischbach, connects users with “compassionate listeners.”

As a Big Law attorney based in New York, Jeremy Fischbach says he had a front-row seat to a mental health crisis.

“I would say that 95% of the lawyers I knew were unhappy. Two-thirds or more were suffering from isolation, depression or substance abuse,” said Fischbach, who graduated from Princeton University in 2000 with a B.A. in psychology before getting his J.D. from New York University in 2009.

Six years later, Fischbach is a Big Law refugee who practices law in New Orleans, working for the alternative, virtual legal service provider InCloudCounsel. But on the side, he has launched an app designed to help lawyers cope with their mental health issues, offering them a sorely needed compassionate ear—something not easily found at law firms.

The app, appropriately enough, is called “Happy.”

“Happy” connects users with more than 2,000 peers who are trained to be “compassionate listeners,” Fischbach says. It prompts users to specify why they're calling—financial troubles, interpersonal issues, work—and then they are guided to call in and speak with a listener. Calls are confidential and are not recorded, although listeners are often polled to see how the call went and what time of day the call was made. The app is available to everybody, not just attorneys, although Fischbach said several attorneys work as listeners for the company and the six years he spent in Big Law made him realized that lawyers are one group that could most benefit.

“In law firms, you have a high amount of stress and isolation,” Fischbach said. “The mantra is, keep your head down, shut up and keep billing. You're creating a recipe for mental health issues. You're saying we're going to drastically limit the time outside the firm, and, while you're inside, we'll put you in a high-stress environment.”

Jeremy Fischbach

But emotional connection is a fundamental need, like food, says Fischbach, citing more than a dozen academic studies. And at law firms, where are you going to fulfill that need, he asks, if you spend all day at the office?

According to Fischbach's data, users report a 49% decrease in stress and anxiety, and 93% of users say they felt happier after a conversation with a listener. Some experts have criticized the app as potentially harmful, as listeners have little formal training. But Fischbach said the company has a stringent vetting process and negative ratings quickly sift out poor listeners.

The idea for Happy first came together in 2016, and after spending much of 2017 building out the technology and recruiting support providers, the app went live in 2018.

One year after Happy's release, the company has already partnered with the American Heart Association and with the insurance companies Aetna and United Healthcare. Fischbach now has his eye on the market that inspired him to create the app in the first place: law firms.

He says he has had ”encouraging conversations” with several firms that want to roll out the app firmwide, although he would not specify which firms. He also says his app will be a practical option for attorneys who won't take time out of their day for an appointment with a mental health professional, or who are worried about the repercussions of seeking help.

Additionally, he says “Happy” could train attorneys to be more empathetic listeners so that they can better support their colleagues.

“Our call volume actually goes up at night when other options are less available,” he said. “And talking to peers—everyday people—does a lot to reduce stigma, which is a huge obstacle.”

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