Large Firm Report Recommendations

Law Firm Subcommittee Members of the Lawyer Well-Being Steering Committee:

Joe Cacace - Todd &Weld

Elizabeth Johnston -American Tower

Anna Levine, Ex Officio -Executive Director, LCL

Hillary J. Massey - Seyfarth Shaw LLP

Cassie Ramos - Re: Sources, A Publicis Groupe Company

David Rosenblatt, Chair -Burns &Levinson

Tabitha Ross -Nixon Peabody

Richard Soden -Goodwin Proctor


Legal Employers, including those with In-House Counsel (p. 27):

  • Set an inclusive tone where those in "seats of power" publicly commit their leadership teams to making younger lawyers as well as women, persons of color and other historically marginalized groups feel welcomed and included;

  • Provide employees with specific opportunities for well-being, for example, a focus on opportunities for physical activity, mental health and mentoring;

  • When possible, offer flexible schedules and work-from-home options; 

  • Encourage employees to take vacations; and

  • Offer and promote management training for lawyers promoted to supervisory positions. Such training could:

    • teach basic management skills such as:

      • supporting and recognizing staff on a regular basis;

      • managing a diverse work force; and

      • promoting skill-building and confidence.

    • assist supervisors in acknowledging and recognizing stress in themselves and their subordinates and teach them skills to assist the attorneys they supervise; and

    • provide supervisors with tools to create a supportive work environment and reduce the stigma attached to seeking help.

Private Firms (pp. 28-29)

  • Implement multi-dimensional evaluations of lawyers in which the number of hours billed is simply one factor and not the most important factor in evaluating lawyer performance and in determining bonuses and other compensation; if a firm has a minimum threshold expectation for billable hours and bonus availability, that standard should be set no higher than 1,800 billable hours annually; [applicable to large firms]

  • Better educate management and human resources personnel on the services provided by LCL and how to make referrals, perhaps by convening a committee of firm representatives and LCL personnel to develop and implement an outreach/marketing strategy targeted at firm lawyers; [applicable to all firms]

  • Invest in professional mental health training for human resources and other management personnel, including lawyers who supervise other lawyers, in order to enable personnel to identify and respond to warning signs of mental health issues in their colleagues more effectively; [applicable to large firms, and to others as resources permit] and

  • Create an organized network of firms to connect and share with each other best practices for attorney well-being including programs and initiatives that have proven to be successful at their firms. [applicable to all firms, as resources permit]