Mental health comes into focus
Legal bodies are increasing the information resources available to lawyers on mental health issues as the global financial crisis continues to take jobs.
Since the start of the crisis, there has been a dramatic increase in the numbers of legal practitioners suffering from depression, mental breakdowns and more.
The Australian Legal Practice Management Association is hosting a seminar by the Black Dog Institute for lawyers on July 8 to help address the situation. The seminar will be held at the NSW Law Society office in Sydney and is $77 for all legal professionals.
The seminar will cover topics such as knowing the warning signs, information on self-help strategies and advice on the available support networks. Australian lawyers are four times more likely to suffer from depression than the general population, reveals a Brain and Mind Institute survey last year of 2400 lawyers in Australia. Previous studies have shown 11 per cent of lawyers consider committing suicide each month. The University of NSW announced in April they were undertaking an audit on mental health of lawyers and the services available to them.
For more details about the seminar visit www.alpma.com.au <http://www.alpma.com.au/>