COVID-19 and a Troubled Economy: How to Maintain Lawyer Wellness

Expired

Program Number

30116

Program Date

2020-04-28

CLE Credits

No one dreamt of a simultaneous pandemic and a depressed economy. In a matter of weeks, the legal world was upended as law firms sent their lawyers home to work remotely and scrambled to find new solutions to practice law in â€œthe new normal. As has been said many times, â€œto be a good lawyer, you have to be a healthy lawyer. COVID-19 and the troubled economy have created enormous pressure on lawyers and law firms.The effects of â€œthe new normal varies from lawyer to lawyer, but some report increased alcohol usage, sleeping less, feeling anxious/stressed all the time, having headaches, gaining weight as they stay at home, obsessively watching the news or being distracted by everything at home to the point where they cant focus on their law practice, worrying over whether they will have enough money to retire - or ever being able to retire, being frightened of contracting COVID-19, feeling overwhelmed by trying to learn new technologies to adapt to the current crisis, feeling lonely or depressed, taking tranquilizers/depression medication/sleeping pills and the list goes on. For many, the most pressing worry is that they will not be able to save their law practice.There is no magic cure to restore lawyers to wellness, but there are resources available to help lawyers navigate their way through challenging times. Lawyers have been sharing coping methods with one another and our presenters have gathered them together to help lawyers understand that they are not alone, that there are self-help measures they can take to get them through troubled times, and that, in serious cases, there are lawyer assistance programs which can provide confidential help. To maintain competence, lawyers must maintain wellness.