California Lawyers Association Declares the Time for Attorney Wellness is Now

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (May 1, 2023): Coinciding with the start of Mental Health Awareness Month and Well-Being Week in Law, the California Lawyers Association (CLA) has declared that the time for attorney wellness is now. CLA is the nation’s largest voluntary bar association representing nearly 80,000 attorneys. Taking place May 1-5, 2023 during Mental Health Awareness Month in May, Well-Being Week in Law is a national movement to raise awareness about mental health and encourage action and innovation across the profession to improve well-being.

“California Lawyers Association recognized long ago that attorneys suffered and had few outlets to vocalize their need for help. Once we provided a platform to shine a bright light on the importance of putting one’s health and wellness first, we normalized conversations like suicide, asking for help, and supporting each other,” said Jeremy M. Evans, President of CLA. “As the largest statewide voluntary bar association in the nation, we intentionally design a prudent space to not only support each other, but normalize health in our every day.”

The results of “Stressed, Lonely, and Overcommitted: Predictors of Lawyer Suicide Risk,” a study published in collaboration with Patrick Krill of Krill Strategies and the D.C. Bar Association found that attorneys had few opportunities to vocalize concerns about their mental health. As a profession, attorneys are the first to take care of others but the last to take care of themselves.

“CLA believes this trend must end, as no individual should bear any burden alone, especially regarding thoughts of depression, stress, loneliness, or suicide,” said Oyango A. Snell, Esq., Chief Executive Officer and Executive Director of California Lawyers Foundation. “As an organization, CLA normalizes wellness-focused conversations and provides opportunities to practice wellness at every moment.”

Mental health has become the central tenant of the deliverables CLA provides to internal and external stakeholders. Leading by example, CLA’s goal is to normalize wellness-focused conversations and provide opportunities to practice wellness. Whether through wellness challenges, discussions, or providing platforms to support each other, CLA is well aware that to change the current trend, we all must act and support each other as a profession.

Throughout the week, CLA will host five wellness webinars, each focused on elevating personal health and well-being. To learn more about the events, visit https://calawyers.org/health-and-wellness/.

About California Lawyers Association: Established in 2018 and headquartered in Sacramento, California Lawyers Association is the statewide voluntary bar association for all California attorneys. CLA’s mission is to promote excellence, diversity, and inclusion in the legal profession and fairness in the administration of justice and the rule of law. Visit us at www.calawyers.org to learn more about CLA or follow us on Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, or Twitter.

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 Media Contact: Traci Rockefeller Cusack at 916-213-4373 or traci@trockcommunications.com