Should Lawyers Tell Someone if a Colleague is Having a Hard Time?

Lawyers are supposed to do their best for their clients. In some places, if they see another lawyer making big mistakes because they're not well, they need to tell the official lawyer group called the bar.

A lot of the time, when lawyers aren't doing a good job, it's because they might be very stressed, using drugs, or maybe getting older and not thinking as clearly. Cooley attorney Michelle Galloway, who is a lawyer and teacher, shared in a seminar that about 1 in 5 lawyers have these tough problems.

The rules for being a good lawyer say that they need to know their stuff and be ready to work hard. But, in California, for example, the rules are even stricter. They say lawyers should be mentally and physically up to the job too.

As lawyers grow older but keep working, sometimes they start to struggle because their minds aren't as sharp. When that happens, other lawyers might need to step in and say something.

Michelle Galloway mentioned that the people in charge are very concerned about older lawyers who might not be able to do their job well anymore because there are a lot of them.

When it comes to looking after everyone in a law office, it's also a good idea to work with the human resources department. They are trained to deal with tough situations and know what sort of help might be available for a lawyer who needs it.

Talking about these issues, like stress and drug problems, is slowly becoming more common among lawyers. But finding good ways to deal with the problem is still a challenge.

A survey found that a lot of lawyers have trouble sleeping and feel anxious. These problems can make them feel alone and unhappy.

If you want to help a lawyer who might be struggling, look out for signs like:
 

• Saying things like "I always mess up" or "I never get it right," which show they feel helpless.
• Being very negative or skeptical.
• Getting stuck and not able to decide what to do next.

Michelle Galloway suggests doing something simple to keep things positive. Every day, think quickly about:
 

• Who did I help today?
• How did I make a difference?
• What did I achieve?
• What am I thankful for?

Check out: Celebrating Volunteer Lawyers: Making Justice a Reality for Everyone

This article is inspired by a piece from Legal Dive discussing the struggles faced by lawyers. Read more about it here.

-
 

Need more legal guides? Check out the articles here.