CDI Corner
CDI Corner
“ Are Diversity and Lawyer Well-being Intertwined?”
Lawonda R. Warren
I recently read the article,“ Lawyer Well- Being: An Uncharted Path to Increasing Diversity and Inclusion,” by Jayne Reardon and Bree Buchanan in the American Bar Association( ABA) Litigation Section’ s Diversity and Inclusion Newsletter. The article discusses how the promotion of the lawyer well-being promotes a diverse and inclusive workplace. In 2017, the National Task Force on Lawyer Well-Being published,“ The Path to Lawyer Well-Being: Practical Recommendations for Positive Change.” It shed light on the need to focus on the well-being of lawyers. One of the recommendations to improve lawyer wellbeing is to increase diversity and inclusion. In support of this recommendation, the report noted that:
Research reflects that organizational diversity and inclusion initiatives are associated with employee well-being, including, for example, general mental and physical health, perceived stress level, job satisfaction, organizational commitment, trust, work engagement, perceptions of organizational fairness, and intentions to remain on the job. A significant contributor to well-being is a sense of organizational belongingness, which has been defined as feeling personally accepted, respected, included, and supported by others. A weak sense of belonging is strongly associated with depressive symptoms. Unfortunately, however, a lack of diversity and inclusion is an entrenched problem in the legal profession. The issue is pronounced for women and minorities in larger law firms.
The article led me to further evaluate what role the push for lawyer well-being in our legal profession plays to support diversity and inclusion of women and minorities in the legal profession. Are diversity and lawyer well-being intertwined?
The push for lawyer well-being stems from studies indicating that lawyers suffer from chronic stress, high rates of depression, suicide, and substance abuse issues. In 2016, the ABA Commission on Lawyer Assistance Programs and Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation published a study of nearly
13,000 practicing lawyers, where it found that,“ between 21 and 36 percent qualify as problem drinkers, and that approximately 28 percent, 19 percent, and 23 percent are struggling with some level of depression, anxiety, and stress, respectively.” In 2017, the Florida Bar Board of Governors created a Special Committee on Mental Health and Wellness of Florida Lawyers. The committee was formed to implement The Florida Bar’ s Strategic Planning Priority # 5, which focuses on the mental health and wellness of Florida lawyers, and is tasked to come up with an action plan by May 2018.
One of the focuses of the committee is to de-stigmatize mental illness and substance abuse in the legal community. For minority lawyers, this stigma is magnified and exasperated. Some minority lawyers feel that there is a lack of belongingness at some firms and agencies. In preparation of this article, I interviewed two African- American attorneys, who wished to remain anonymous. The first attorney stated that she tends to overcompensate due to pressure and lack of diversity at her office. She sometimes feels that she is the only“ one,” and must be everywhere, over prepare, and over compensate to prove that she belongs. This sentiment is understandable as statistics show that as of 2017, 5 % of the lawyers in the United States are African- American. This leads to burn out, increased stress and anxiety. The second attorney stated that he suffers from alcoholism and doesn’ t want to seek help because of the stigma associated with alcoholism. He also feels that his supervising attorney will be less sensitive to his issue due to his race.
After the interviews, I immediately thought of the statement,“ A significant contributor to well-being is a sense of organizational belongingness, …,” located above. If lawyers feel that they do not belong, they especially will not feel comfortable seeking help for mental or substance abuse issues. More diversity in our field and the feeling of inclusion will encourage more minority lawyers to seek help.
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Overall, the focus on lawyer well-being is extremely important to our society because it is difficult for lawyers to be zealous advocates or provide competent representation if we are mentally or emotionally unhealthy. The promotion of the well-being of lawyers in our profession is more than a hot topic, it is a path to a more diverse, inclusive, and sustainable workplace. If you find yourself in need of help coping with mental health or substance abuse issues, contact the Florida Bar’ s Help Line at 1-800-282-8981.
1
National Task Force on Lawyer Well-Being, The Path to Lawyer Well-Being: Practical Recommendations for Positive Change.( 2017).
2
Id. P. R. Krill, R. Johnson, & L. Albert, The Prevalence of Substance Use and Other Mental Health Concerns Among American Attorneys, 10 J. ADDICTION MED. 46( 2016).
3
American Bar Association National Lawyer Population Survey, 10-Year Trend in Lawyer Demographics.( 2017).
Lawonda R. Warren is a member of Palm Beach County Bar Association’ s Committee for Diversity and Inclusion, serves on the Bar’ s Judicial Campaign Practices Commission, and served as a Co-Chair for the 2018 Bench Bar Conference. She is also the Immediate President of the F. Malcolm Cunningham, Sr. Bar Association. Ms. Warren is an Assistant City Attorney / Police Legal Advisor for the City of Delray Beach, FL. She can be reached at WarrenL @ mydelraybeach. com.