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The duty of emerging leaders to improve lawyers’ wellbeing
Younger legal professionals have “access to a subset of experiences that are often not directly communicated to senior leaders”, and as such, can and should be at the forefront in ensuring optimal wellness levels for lawyers in a post-pandemic world.
Jerome Doraisamy
Recent studies demonstrate, Amelia Schubach (pictured) noted, that there is a correlation between the easing of lockdown measures and improvement in wellbeing. This being said, she noted, deleterious health outcomes will not dissipate in the near future, especially for those in law.
This study was not the first that she undertook, with her findings from 2020 drawing attention to the need for meaningful social interaction in order to better navigate the ongoing challenges of the age of coronavirus.
In conversation with Lawyers Weekly, Ms Schubach (who, despite her “relatively junior tenure”, serves as the spokesperson to Hamilton Locke’s board in implementing mental health and wellbeing initiatives that capture the needs of junior lawyers, business support, and other staff) said that the next generation of leaders in the legal profession have a responsibility to reflect on and advocate for the needs of those that may not otherwise be heard by senior leaders.
“We have access to a subset of experiences that are often not directly communicated to senior leaders,” she posited.
“Because of the recent emphasis on mental health, many emerging leaders have grown in tandem and therefore developed a fluency for wellbeing, positioning themselves to offer different, innovative perspectives and solutions. These must be leveraged, and it is our role to keep executors and executives accountable.”
This is in addition, Ms Schubach pointed out, to one’s individual responsibility to themselves: “I think there is always both personal and collective level of responsibility when it comes to one’s mental health and wellbeing. Whilst it is for the individual to reflect and continue to do their best, it is for the collective to de-stigmatise, provide resources, and support or listen as needed.”
Grabbing the bull by the horns in such a fashion is especially critical, she stressed, given “enduring concerns” about the pervasive stigma surrounding mental health issues in the law.
“Just like physical health, it is a state of being that fluctuates, in this case, the mind, whether in response to environment, experiences or other external or internal stimuli. The misconception prevents people from speaking openly about mental health and accessing the resources that will help them perform, for example, time off to recharge,” she mused.
The other concern that plagues her, Ms Schubach continued, is the potential for people to predominantly associate poor mental health with lockdown.
“The risk here is that law firm leaders and the industry generally become complacent in providing continuing support and open dialogue around the topic,” she said.
“A related issue is that people who may continue to experience mental health difficulties post-pandemic may feel more isolated in their experience and may not seek the support they need.”
On the flip side, however, there is also much to relish when looking at the professional landscape of the future and how attitudes towards, and actions supporting, lawyers’ wellness will evolve, Ms Schubach detailed.
“It is really positive to see a trend whereby people, particularly senior professionals, are more open to speaking about their personal experiences and are being met with reciprocated openness or support and understanding. This normalisation will play a significant role in improving levels of wellbeing, and I hope to see this trend continue,” she opined.
“I am seeing more and more workplaces implementing mental health and wellbeing programs that provide a range of support across seniorities and business functions. For example, there has been a recent rise in forming a network of mental health champions in firms. At my workplace, Hamilton Locke, individual champions appointed in each office receive mental health first aid training specifically for the legal profession, amongst other things.”
For her part, Ms Schubach said that she is “always looking” to do more to better support legal professionals when it comes to wellness.
“As someone who is lucky enough to bring their whole self to work every day, I see my personal and professional role converging, particularly in this space,” she proclaimed.
“That role being to continue to shape the legal profession in Australia as one that is cognisant and supportive of its members’ mental health.
“I hope to do this by continuing to take pulse checks, writing articles and research, and ultimately being an open and empathetic presence for people to talk to, both in my workplace and more broadly.”
Jerome Doraisamy
Jerome Doraisamy is the editor of Lawyers Weekly. A former lawyer, he has worked at Momentum Media as a journalist on Lawyers Weekly since February 2018, and has served as editor since March 2022. He is also the host of all five shows under The Lawyers Weekly Podcast Network, and has overseen the brand's audio medium growth from 4,000 downloads per month to over 60,000 downloads per month, making The Lawyers Weekly Show the most popular industry-specific podcast in Australia. Jerome is also the author of The Wellness Doctrines book series, an admitted solicitor in NSW, and a board director of Minds Count.
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