Wellness Wake-Up Call: Honest Advice for Lawyers

“Wellness for lawyers.” Does anyone even know what that means in today’s legal world? Is it diet and nutrition? Is it the availability of the Lawyers Assistance Program in your state, offering free counseling sessions when times are tough? Even if you have a handle on the current meaning of wellness (I don’t), how do you find information and resources you can trust? The goal of this program is twofold: (i) to highlight the role of self-awareness, explained in way that is both meaningful and accessible and (ii) to equip you with useful tools and knowledge to navigate the information dump that is wellness in law at the present time.

Topics covered include:

Attorney Wellness Law Practice Legal Ethics

Agenda:

Introduction
- Who is Lynn Garson?
- Lynn Garson's personal lived experience with mental health issues and addiction
Framework
- Describe in brief each area to be covered:
Illustrate Confusing Narratives
- E.g., “We want you to be happy and productive” [BUT BE AVAILABLE AT ALL HOURS 365/7], or “We want you to take all of your time off” [AND HIT OR EXCEED YOUR BILLABLES PLUS ADMINISTRATIVE PLUS BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT DUTIES]
Explain Self-Advocacy and Highlight Self-Awareness
- What is self-advocacy?
- How can you advocate for yourself while being self-aware?
Identify Stress in Law Practice
- Naming the sources of stress and the stresses that are particular to lawyers
- Addressing the impact on our practices
Practical Strategies for Managing Stress in Ourselves
- Introducing the concept of multiple self-imposed stumbling blocks preventing effective stress management
- Practical tips and ideas
Resources to Help With Stress Management, Burn Out, and More Intense Issues
- Lawyers assistance programs
- Peer programs
- Community support groups (e.g., 12-step programs)
- Apps
- Other useful programs and tools
Questions & Answers (as time permits)

Duration of this webinar: 60 minutes

Originally broadcast: March 26, 2025 11:00 AM PT

Webinar Highlights

This webinar is divided into section summaries, which you can scan for key points and then dive into the sections that interest you the most.

00:00 Introduction

Lynn Garson practices healthcare law and is a mental health advocate and author. Lynn discusses the concept of wellness for lawyers, questioning its definition and exploring various aspects of wellness. She aims to highlight the reality of available wellness tools and encourages navigating them effectively.

05:36 Personal Journey and Mental Health Challenges

Lynn shares her personal journey, detailing her long-term therapy and mental health challenges, including depression and eating disorders. She describes a difficult period following her divorce, leading to severe mental health struggles and hospitalization. Lynn emphasizes the importance of recognizing mental health issues and seeking appropriate treatment. She discusses the stigma surrounding mental health in legal settings and the need for organizations to focus on de-stigmatizing help-seeking. Lynn advocates for firms to provide resources and support for mental health, acknowledging the widespread prevalence of mental health issues.

17:43 Advocacy and Self-Awareness

Lynn stresses the importance of personal responsibility in recovery, highlighting her own journey towards self-awareness and advocacy. She discusses the necessity of accepting reality and the challenges of advocating for oneself in the absence of external support. Lynn shares her experience of defying expert opinions and pursuing her career despite mental health challenges. She emphasizes the need for self-awareness to understand personal reactions and address mental health issues effectively.

23:55 Wellness Strategies and Resources

Lynn introduces the wellbeing continuum, a framework for understanding different stages of mental health and appropriate actions. Lynn highlights the importance of recognizing when self-help strategies are insufficient and seeking external support. She emphasizes the need for careful consideration of personal circumstances when seeking mental health treatment. Lynn advocates for peer support and experiential therapy as effective models for addressing mental health challenges.

30:16 Stress, Burnout, and Mental Health

Lynn explores the distinction between stress and burnout, emphasizing the physical and mental impacts of prolonged stress. She discusses the importance of identifying changes in behavior as indicators of mental distress. Lynn highlights specific stressors faced by lawyers, including perfectionism and imposter syndrome. She emphasizes the need for lawyers to recognize and address these stressors to maintain mental health.

36:20 Practical Advice for Lawyers

Lynn provides practical advice for lawyers on managing stress and maintaining mental health. She emphasizes the importance of breaking stress habits and prioritizing mental health over work demands. Lynn advocates for building relationships as a form of self-care and professional support. She highlights various resources and experts in the field of mental health and wellness for lawyers. Lynn encourages lawyers to take small, manageable steps to integrate wellness strategies into their daily routines.

01:00:39 Q&A and Closing Remarks

Lynn answers questions from the audience, addressing concerns about stigma and career impact related to seeking mental health help. She advises finding trusted individuals to discuss mental health concerns and emphasizes the importance of confidentiality. Lynn recommends specific resources and discusses strategies for integrating wellness into demanding legal schedules. She encourages law students to utilize available resources and seek support from lawyer assistance programs.

Please note this AI-generated summary provides a general overview of the webinar but may not capture all details, nuances, or the exact words of the speaker. For complete accuracy, please refer to the original webinar recording.

Continuing Legal Education (CLE) Credits

*CLE credit is only available to Justia Connect Pros. Not a Pro? Upgrade today>>

California CLE

Status: Approved

Credits: 1.00 Wellness Competence

Earn Credit Until: June 30, 2026

South Carolina CLE

Status: Approved

Credits: 1.00 Substance Abuse/Mental Health

Difficulty: All Levels

Earn Credit Until: December 31, 2025

North Carolina CLE

Status: Approved

Credits: 1.00 Professional Well-Being

Earn Credit Until: February 28, 2026

Texas CLE

Status: Approved

Credits: 1.00 Legal Ethics/Professional Responsibility

Earn Credit Until: February 28, 2026

This presentation is approved for one hour of Wellness Competence CLE credit in California, one hour of Substance Abuse/Mental Health CLE credit in South Carolina (all levels), and one hour of Professional Well-Being CLE credit in North Carolina. This course has been approved for Minimum Continuing Legal Education credit by the State Bar of Texas Committee on MCLE in the amount of 1.00 credit hours, of which 1.00 credit hours will apply to Legal Ethics/Professional Responsibility credit.

Justia only reports attendance in jurisdictions in which a particular Justia CLE Webinar is officially accredited. Lawyers may need to self-submit their certificates for CLE credit in jurisdictions not listed above.

Note that CLE credit, including partial credit, cannot be earned outside of the relevant accreditation period. To earn credit for a course, a lawyer must watch the entire course within the relevant accreditation period. Lawyers who have viewed a presentation multiple times may not be able to claim credit in their jurisdiction more than once. Justia reserves the right, at its discretion, to grant an attendee partial or no credit, in accordance with viewing duration and other methods of verifying course completion.

At this time, Justia only offers CLE courses officially accredited in certain states. Lawyers may generate a generic attendance certificate to self-submit credit in their own jurisdiction, but Justia does not guarantee that lawyers will receive their desired CLE credit through the self-submission or reciprocity process.

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Speaker

Lynn S. Garson Counsel
BakerHostetler, LLP

Lynn Garson practices healthcare law at Baker & Hostetler in the firm’s Atlanta office. Ms. Garson’s areas of expertise include physician practice acquisitions, employment, independent contractor and related agreements. Read More ›

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