LCLMA is excited to host and participate in events with local organizations throughout the week, alongside additional programming from the Institute for Well-Being in Law.
WWIL takes place each first week of May, which is recognized as Mental Health Awareness Month. IWIL, which evolved from the National Task Force on Lawyer Well-Being behind the now well-known report, The Path to Lawyer Well-Being: Practical Recommendations for Positive Change, launched the first lawyer well-being week in 2020. The week is sponsored by the ABA’s Commission on Lawyer Assistance Programs‘ Well-Being Committee. Individuals and organizations in the legal profession are encouraged to take action by leading and participating in activities that promote well-being in the profession.
TUESDAY, MAY 2ND
12pm (30 min.) A Laugh a Day Keeps the Doctor Away: Humor’s Role in Our Well-Being as Lawyers,featuring LCLMA Staff Clinician Dr. Shawn Healy, Ph.D., Nadine Ezzie, Esq. and Daniel Faneuf, Esq.
WEDNESDAY, MAY 3RD
12pm (60 min.) Mindfulness: Strengthen Your Attention & Reduce Distractibility, featuring LCLMA Staff Clinician Dr. Tracey Meyers, Psy.D.
THURSDAY, MAY 4TH
4:30pm (90 min.) Recovering Out Loud: Addressing the Impact of Addiction and Lawyering, hosted by the Massachusetts Bar Association, featuring Amanda Rowan, Esq. (Program Chair), Hon. Neil A. Hourihan (Panelist), Joseph Berman, Esq. (Panelist), Ashley Elizabeth Hayes, Esq. (Panelist), Richard Hennessey, Esq. (Panelist), Shawn Healy, PhD. (Panelist), Kevin Maynard, Esq. (Panelist), John P. Story, Esq. (Panelist)
FRIDAY, MAY 5TH
1pm (60 min.) Worcester County Bar Association Presentation on Lawyers Concerned for Lawyers (LCL) 2023, featuring LCLMA Staff Clinician Dr. Jeffrey Fortgang, PhD., LADC-I and LCLMA Senior Law Practice Advisor Jane Lavoie, Esq.
MORE EVENTS FOR THE MASSACHUSETTS LEGAL PROFESSION:
The Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court’s Standing Committee on Lawyer Well-Being has organized daily in-person community gatherings across Massachusetts (with a virtual gathering on Friday), and the Mindfulness in Law Society is offering daily online mindfulness practices. Find more here.
IWIL is offering the following free webinars:
- Monday, May 1 at 1:30pm – Moving Together: The science and experience of communal movement
- Tuesday, May 2 at 1:30pm – What does the U.S. Surgeon General’s Framework for Mental Health and Well-being in the Workplace Mean for You?
- Wednesday, May 3 at 1:30pm – Pro Bono & Community Service as a Pathway to Well-being & Job Satisfaction
- Thursday, May 4 at 1:30pm – Building Friendship & Belonging
- Friday, May 5 at 1:30pm – How to Build a Workplace that Supports Emotional Well-Being
And more webinars from the ABA:
- Wednesday, May 3 at 1pm – Hobby, Passion, Side Hustle? Finding Creative Ways to Improve Your Well-Being as a Practicing Lawyer
- Friday, May 5 at 12pm – The Superpower in Lawyering Like a Human: How Connecting to Your Humanity May Just Be Your Best Legal Skill
RESOURCES FOR INDIVIDUALS IN THE LEGAL PROFESSION:
IWIL has a collection of resources, including a calendar of daily activities spanning the full month of May, to help individuals in the profession improve their well-being. Find more here.
RESOURCES FOR ORGANIZATIONS IN THE LEGAL PROFESSION:
IWIL also offers resources to help organizations in the profession, including bar associations and legal employers, coordinate activities to bring their communities together to improve well-being. Find more here.
Free & Confidential Consultations at LCLMA:
Lawyers, law students, and judges in Massachusetts can discuss concerns with a licensed therapist, law practice advisor, or both. Find more on scheduling here.
