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The Colorado Task Force on Lawyer Well-Being will use its members’ leadership and commitment to service to develop concrete actions to help judges, lawyers, and law students thrive in the profession. The Task Force first convened September 12, 2018, and met regularly through February 2020, with additional meetings in the summer of 2020. The Task Force’s final report can be viewed here.
In association with the work of the Colorado Task Force on Lawyer Well-Being, the Colorado Attorney Mentoring Program convened a pilot project in July 2020 to evaluate creation of a recognition program for legal employers who implement well-being strategies. The pilot project concluded in May 2021. To read a press release concerning the work of the Well-Being Recognition Pilot Project, click here. To read the Pilot Project’s final report, click here.
Lawyer “well-being” matters! It can impact:
According to the National Task Force on Lawyer Well-Being: “Lawyer well-being is part of a lawyer’s ethical duty of competence. It includes lawyers’ ability to make healthy, positive work/life choices to assure not only a quality of life within their families and communities, but also to help them make responsible decisions for their clients.” Colorado Rule of Professional Conduct 1.16(a)(2) says a lawyer shall not represent a client or must withdraw from representation if his or her mental or physical condition materially impairs the lawyer’s ability to carry out the representation.
The Virginia State Bar published a comprehensive report on occupational risks in the legal profession in May 2019. Click here to read.
The National Task Force on Lawyer Well-Being defines well-being as a multi-faceted concept, as illustrated by this graphic from the National Task Force Report. The Report of the National Task Force is available here.
The Colorado Lawyer Assistance Program (COLAP) offers six quick, helpful tips ranging from how to be more successful, ways to improve your mood, to suggestions on how to get out of a “rut.” COLAP provides free and confidential assistance to judges, lawyers, and law students for a wide variety of personal and professional issues.
Consider the data:
The American Bar Association’s Well-Being Toolkit for Lawyers and Legal Employers, authored by Anne Brafford, contains recommendations to promote well-being in the workplace and to realize greater productivity. Suggestions include:
Click here to access.