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BookList: Well-Being for Lawyers and Law Students

December 02, 2021

Book Covers for Lawyer Well Being
Book Covers for Lawyer Well Being

In recognition of the importance of lawyer and law student well-being, we’ve highlighted some of the resources in Biddle’s collection focused on managing stress and finding fulfillment and satisfaction in practice.

Author: Genevieve Tung

There are so many great reasons to pursue a life in the law: to promote justice, to advocate for clients and causes you believe in, to solve complex problems, or to be part of a useful and learned profession. Too often, however, the process of becoming an attorney–or the practice of law itself–leaves students and attorneys stressed, miserable, or unsure of their place and their abilities.

In 2017, the American Bar Association’s National Task Force on Lawyer Well-Being released a report documenting the chronic stress, substance abuse, and mental health challenges that many attorneys struggle with. Since then, several other organizations and regional bar associations have also elevated these issues.

In November 2021, the New York State Bar Association released its own report, explaining that “attorney well-being is vital—to our own success and to our viability as a profession, one which is built on society’s trust and faith in the rule of law. We, as lawyers and colleagues, must ensure our own health and well-being, and the creation of a culture that supports our colleagues.”

In recognition of the importance of lawyer and law student well-being, we’ve highlighted some of the resources in Biddle’s collection focused on managing stress and finding fulfillment and satisfaction in practice.

 

The Law Student’s Guide to Doing Well and Being Well (2021)

By Shailini Jandial George

Untangling Fear in Lawyering: A Four-Step Journey Toward Powerful Advocacy (2019)

By Heidi K. Brown

The Best Lawyer You Can Be: A Guide to Physical, Mental, Emotional, and Spiritual Wellness (2018)

By Stewart Levine

The Hidden Stresses of Law School and Law Practice: Applying the New Science for a Fulfilling Life and Career (2018)

By Lawrence S. Krieger

The Fulfilled Lawyer: Create the Practice you Desire (2014)

By Kathleen Paukert

The Creative Lawyer: A Practical Guide to Authentic Professional Satisfaction (2014)

By Michael F. Melcher

The Happy Lawyer: Making a Good Life in the Law (2010)

By Nancy Levit & Douglas O. Linder