ABA programs to support lawyer mental health during Well-Being Week in Law

April 30, 2026

ABA programs to support lawyer mental health during Well-Being Week in Law

National data show that many in the legal profession struggle with depression, anxiety, burnout and other work-related stressors.

To support lawyers' mental health, the ABA is offering a series of free, virtual programs during Well-Being Week in Law May 4-8.

"Lawyer well-being is not a peripheral concern," said Tashiana Williams, associate counsel for the ABA Center for Professional Responsibility. "The legal profession is experiencing a measurable and preventable well-being exigency - and the responsibility to respond now rests with all of us who care about the integrity and future of the profession."

Landmark research on lawyer impairment, conducted in 2016 by the ABA Commission on Lawyer Assistance Programs (COLAP) in collaboration with the Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation, examined alcohol use, substance abuse, mental health issues and help-seeking behaviors of lawyers. It found individuals in legal professions reported higher rates of problematic drinking behaviors and significant levels of depression, anxiety and stress when compared to other groups. COLAP is working to update the 2016 research, Williams said. The findings will be published later this year.

This year's Well-Being Week in Law is designed around a simple but often overlooked premise: Lawyer well-being is a core professional competency that rests with all legal professionals. "Encouragingly," Williams said, "law students, lawyers and judges themselves are asking for change."

The week's virtual activities, themed "Safe to Thrive, will provide information and guidance on aspects of the legal profession that "we are sometimes too afraid to talk about, like perfectionism and stigma," Williams said. "Our speakers will also provide tools for handling stress and maintaining resilience."

Each program will translate rigorous research into practical, professional-specific insights that lawyers, judges and legal organizations can apply immediately. The programs "are meant to start a larger conversation in the profession," Williams said. "What more can be done to support well-being in the legal profession?"

All sessions will be held via Zoom at 1:30 p.m. EDT.

Featured programs include:

• May 4 - "Perfectionism in the Legal Profession"
• May 5 - "Psychological Safety in the Legal Profession"
• May 6 - "Belonging, Inclusion and Well-Being"
• May 7 - "Stress Management for Legal Professionals"
• May 8 - "The Science of Hope and Lawyer Resilience"

Register to attend here.