Like nearly everything else, law firm mental health programming has gone remote.

The global coronavirus pandemic is defined, at least in part, by the subsequent shift to remote work as social distancing laws close physical spaces in an attempt to instill social distancing rules.

These closures have led to a cascade of side effects: record-high unemployment, loneliness and an often-fraught fusion of home and work life. In a recent poll published by the Kaiser Family Foundation, nearly half of respondents said the coronavirus crisis is harming their mental health.

These new stressors are laid on top of the preexisting mental health crisis in the legal profession. A 2016 study conducted by the American Bar Association and the Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation found that attorneys suffer from mental health disorders at a higher frequency than the general population: 21% of employed attorneys qualify as problem drinkers; 28% show signs of depression; and 19% exhibit signs of anxiety.

As law firm attorneys and staff log on remotely each day, so too have the hired consultants who guide attorneys and staff through thoughtful meditation, or the in-house counselors that now meet with attorney patients telephonically.

Patrick Krill, a veteran legal mental health consultant, is seeing as much demand as ever from law firm clients. They are realizing that now, given the intense stress faced by remote attorneys, staying on top of mental health programming is essential.

"A lot of firms have reached out and wanted to do a webinar on basic issues related to mental health and how they can protect themselves," Krill said. "That is encouraging."

The month of May is also Mental Health Awareness Month. And despite the interruption of office closures, law firms have forged ahead with their scheduled programming—with a twist.

Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson launched a wellness app May 4 to kick off the month and allow its employees to connect remotely with each other.

The firm launched the app in tandem with its yearly fit club program, which has also gone remote. While not exclusive to the fit club program, which runs May 4 to June 12, the app allows attorneys and staff to share their progress and goals with regard to wellness. It also updates employees on upcoming programs and initiatives such as a guided meditation session or links to wellness tips and articles.

According to the firm's chief of human resources, Annemarie Crouch, the app is popular. So far, 203 firm employees have downloaded it.

"It connects our people, and provides an opportunity for people to focus on things other than the pandemic," Crouch said.

Crouch said the pandemic has posed a wide range of obstacles to firm employees. In response, informal affinity groups have sprung up. Attorneys and staff who are weathering the quarantine without family or roommates in their homes have formed a "home alone" group, where employees get together regularly for coffee or a social hour over videoconferencing.

The firm's working parents affinity group, formed prior to the pandemic as part of a diversity initiative, also meets virtually. Members swap stories, as well as tips for balancing the demands of lawyering with the hectic schedule of caring for children.

Thompson & Knight has formed a similar group. Around 45 attorneys gather weekly and, as chief talent officer Kelly Morgan said, the meetings have been cathartic for many.

"There has been a lot of laughter, some tears. It's hard," Morgan said. "There's a lot of pressure from work, but also from teaching [their kids]. Now you're looking forward to summer and letting your kids down again because so many things have been canceled."

Staying connected is perhaps the most important aspect of maintaining mental health in the pandemic, Morgan said. For Lawyer Well Being Week, which ran May 4 to May 8, Thompson & Knight put together thematic days.

Monday was physical day for example: A firm partner who is a certified fitness and yoga instructor led a video session. Thursday was spacial well-being, so firm management put together a dancing playlist of their favorite songs, including artists ranging from The Beatles to The Weeknd.

Much of the programming, while focused on mental health, is more broadly an effort to keep attorneys and staff connected amid social distancing.

"Being around each other is really important to who we are," Morgan said. "Not having that connection is our biggest challenge."

To Casey Ryan, Reed Smith's head of legal personnel, now it is more important than ever to invest heavily into mental health. Reed Smith has not just maintained its initiatives, it has expanded them, kicking off a speaker series that covers subjects such as emotional management and dealing with isolation.

The pandemic has touched the lives of everyone, in vastly different ways, she said. It's imperative that firms find ways to help their attorneys and staff, who themselves are fielding calls from distressed clients.

"To me, law firms are their people. And you have to take care of your people, particularly in moments of crisis," Ryan said. "Supporting your lawyers is supporting your clients."

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'How Do You Get People to Care?' Firm Leaders, Experts Discuss Mental Health at LegalWeek 2020