LCL announced our “Stomp Out Stigma” campaign at OUR ANNUAL Brink Dinner this past September.
In 2023, the NORC study surveyed Massachusetts lawyers about burnout, depression, anxiety, suicidality, and substance use. The results revealed critical concerns within the profession: 42% of lawyers reported hazardous or unhealthy alcohol use, yet only 2% reported seeking help. Additionally, 21% reported depression, 77% reported feeling burnout, 26% reported anxiety, and 7% reported having thoughts of suicide.
The most commonly reported barriers to seeking help were stigma, lack of time, and fear of punitive consequences — with stigma emerging as the most significant. These findings make clear that stigma remains one of the greatest obstacles preventing lawyers from getting the support they need.
That is why we launched our campaign: “Stomp Out Stigma”. At LCL, we believe that one of the most powerful ways to fight stigma is to stand with those who experience it. Sometimes, stigma arises not from others but from our own self-talk — the quiet doubts and judgments we turn inward. By standing together and speaking openly about mental health and substance use, we can replace silence with support and give one another renewed courage to seek help and to offer it.
Join us and lend your voice to helping us “Stomp Out Stigma”. If you have a story of recovery to share and you are interested in participating on a panel, please contact Amy Levine, Director of Programs & Volunteers amy@lclma.org.
