Legal Well-Being News (December 2021)
Before the year ends, we reflect upon 2021 and the enormous challenges we faced but also the progress we made. We thank you for working with us to amplify our message of well-being in the profession and to take actions to improve it. We encourage you to review our announcements below and upcoming programs related to well-being in the legal profession in Massachusetts, and to view the remainder of our website to find helpful resources, news, and reports.
Committee Announcements
Website Resources. We have a number of new resources on our website, including a page with numerous well-being related studies and news items, here, and a page devoted to DEI Resources, here.
Mentorship Programs. The second annual Statewide Mentorship Program begins early 2022. This program pairs mentees with multiple mentors to provide a variety of experiences and perspectives. Any attorney may sign up to be a mentee. Mentors must have 10+ years of experience in practice. Sign up here. We also provide, on our site, a listing of various legal mentorship programs around the Commonwealth.
Financial Education and Student Loan Repayment Resources for Lawyers. Last year, we partnered with AccessLex Institute, a nonprofit committed to helping law students and new lawyers become empowered through financial education. As a result of a pilot education and coaching program offered through this partnership, AccessLex has developed a full-service resource for recent law graduates and new lawyers. You can view resources and upcoming programs, here.
Law Student Town Halls. In collaboration with our Legal Education Subcommittee, we conducted three town halls to hear experiences from law students in Massachusetts. We plan to continue these town halls early next semester and use this important feedback from law students to help guide our efforts in law schools.
Upcoming Standing Committee Programs
December 14, 1-2:15pm. Legal Well-Being Network Meeting. We invite you to join other legal professionals to share best practices, ideas, challenges, and vision to improve the well-being of all legal professionals in Massachusetts. Register and find recordings and resources from past programs, here.
December 15, 12-1pm. Health & Disability Insurance Coverage for Small Firms. In collaboration with the Mass Bar Association Well-Being Committee and expert speakers, this program will address health and disability insurance coverage for lawyers and law firms, including private options and how to obtain them, public options and how to qualify, and where to go for help. Register here.
January 11, 12-1:30 (tentative date). Stay tuned for a program with the Trial Court Office of Workplace Rights and Compliance on reporting and investigating incidents of bias and discrimination in the courts, in collaboration with the Mass Bar Association, Boston Bar Association, Asian American Lawyers Association of Mass, Mass Association of Hispanic Attorneys, Hispanic National Bar Association Region I, Mass Black Lawyers Association, Mass Black Women Attorneys, Mass LGBTQ Bar, New England Muslim Bar, South Asian Bar Association of Greater Boston, and Women's Bar Association of Mass.
Changes to Public Service Loan Forgiveness: What You Need to Know. In case you missed it, the recording of this program is now available, here.
Community Programs and Announcements
Lawyers Concerned for Lawyers. New, starting February 1st at 12pm, Mindfulness Tools for Legal Professionals: 4-Part Series. Register, here. LCL has a number of additional programs and services available, including Weekly Yoga for Busy Legal Professionals, Webinars for Busy Lawyers, Addiction Recovery Peer Support Meetings, SuperMom group, Job Search Group, and more. Sign up for their newsletter, here.
Mass Bar Association Well-Being Podcast. In this episode of the Mass Bar Association Podcast, MBA Lawyer Well-Being Committee Co-chair Marianne C. LeBlanc and lawyer-turned-therapist Andrew Kang, JD, LICSW, talk with host Jordan Rich about the increased stress and pressure that lawyers feel generally and especially around the holidays. In addition to offering coping strategies, they encourage lawyers to seek help when needed and embrace individual wellness as a normal and necessary part of their professional journey. Listen to the episode, here.
December 13. MCLE 7th Annual Appellate Practice Conference: "Ensuring Our Courts Serve Everyone: Concrete Steps Toward Eliminating Identity-Based Discrimination in Our Appellate Courts" with Committee Fellow, Gavin Alexander, and the Trial Court Office of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Experience. Register, here.
Mindfulness in Law Society. Virtual Mindfulness Sits every Monday and Wednesday at 5pm. Register, here.
January 19-21, 2022. Registration is now open for The Institute for Well-Being in Law's (IWIL) first annual conference, "Redesigning The Legal Profession for a Better Future".
Affinity Bar Associations. To support the essential work being done to promote the well-being of attorneys and law students from historically excluded populations, we encourage you to attend events hosted or sponsored by your local affinity bar associations. In Massachusetts, these include: Asian American Lawyers Association of Massachusetts, Hispanic National Bar Association Region I, Massachusetts Association of Hispanic Attorneys, Massachusetts Black Lawyers Association, Massachusetts Black Women Attorneys, Massachusetts LGBTQ Bar Association, New England Muslim Bar Association, South Asian Bar Association of Greater Boston, and Women’s Bar Association of Massachusetts.
*For Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion resources, visit our DEI Resource page, here.
Thank you for continued interest in, efforts in support of, and commitment to lawyer well-being in Massachusetts. Your individual and collective work is essential to make the practice of law more inclusive, sustainable and rewarding.
