Who Is Responsible for Protecting Lawyers' Mental Health?
"Human nature is responsible," said Florida State University College of Law professor Lawrence Kriege. "If you look at history, there has been a persistent problem that has plagued mankind forever, and it's called greed. It can be greed for money, greed for power, greed for prestige—but it's greed."
March 21, 2024 at 05:00 AM
6 minute read
The original version of this story was published on The American Lawyer
What You Need to Know
- While law firms aren't without any responsibility, lawyers must look after themselves when the profession falls short.
- Breaking the cycle requires psychological flexibility—something that doesn't always come naturally to lawyers who are taught to think logically about other people's problems.
- Finding joy in your work should always come before compensation if being happier is the goal.
The legal profession affected Vanessa Ford and Gabe MacConaill in similar ways.
Ford, an M&A partner at Pinsent Masons in London, had just attended a celebratory lunch after finishing the sale of Everton FC when she was struck by a train during an acute mental health crisis last September. The deal caused her to work 18-hour days, Ford's husband told the coroner, and coincided with an increase in her alcohol consumption.
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