Law firms in Texas need to change to address a crisis in the legal profession.
As a follow-up to a shocking 2016 report showing that one in three lawyers are problem drinkers and one in four have depression, a national task force has made recommendations for law firms, judges, bar associations and law schools to address widespread lawyer well-being issues.
Texas Lawyers Assistance Program director Bree Buchanan served as a co-chairwoman of the National Task Force on Lawyer Well-Being, which released the report. Texas Lawyer interviewed Buchanan to learn more about what law firms should do to promote their lawyers' well-being. Here are her answers, edited for brevity and clarity.
Texas Lawyer: How are the issues of lawyer mental health and substance abuse impacting the legal industry in Texas?
Bree Buchanan: In my role as director of the Texas Lawyers Assistance Program at the state bar, I unfortunately hear regularly of the stories of lawyers who have succumbed to end-stage substance use disorders, severe depression, severe anxiety and worst of all, suicide. These are stories that more and more I think are appearing in the legal publications. There is greater awareness about these things, so with this task force report, we see this as a key time as awareness is risen to encourage people to take action.
TL: What difference would this make for the leaders of Texas's biggest law firms to show that they're personally committed to their lawyers' well-being?
BB: It makes a difference, quite frankly, with the bottom line. They are able to better serve their clients. They're going to reduce risk for their firm. They are going to have associates and partners, shareholders, who are healthier, productive, and more loyal to the firm. Malpractice will be reduced. Also, it's just simply the right thing to do because lawyers are suffering and in great numbers, they are suffering in silence.
TL: Stigma might stop a lawyer from seeking help for a mental health or substance abuse issue. What actions can a law firm take to break down the stigma?
BB: That can be done in developing law firm policies so people know how to come forward and ask for help for themselves, with knowledge they are not going to be penalized for getting in recovery. Setting forth a path for people concerned about other people, for them to confidentially come forward and ask for help for that individual. Another way is to create opportunities to talk about these issues. They are still amazingly in 2017 topics we keep undercover and speak about often in hushed tones. It's time we move beyond that.