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Wellness

How unhealthy lawyers affect client service

man holding head

Almost all lawyers experience stress, but unless it becomes toxic, there is little risk to the client. Occasionally things get truly out of control. That’s when important deadlines are missed, communication with the client diminishes (or ends), and files languish. In extreme cases, the lawyer ‘pretends’ to practice by misrepresenting to the client that work… Read More »

Categories: 2015 September Blue Sky, Articles, Communications Errors, Conflicts of Interest, Firm Management, Inadequate Investigation, Time Management, Wellness, Wellness

Reading the signs: Stepping in when a colleague needs help

man holding head

As adults in the workplace, we usually strive to respect our coworkers’ privacy and autonomy. But it’s important to understand the difference between being nosy and being responsive. The taboos that accompany mental illness, substance abuse and interpersonal problems can make it difficult for workers to seek help when they need it. By reacting sensitively… Read More »

Categories: 2015 September Blue Sky, Articles, Wellness, Wellness

Being happier where you are, or getting to a better place

dandelion

Lawyering is stressful. Lawyers expect to handle the pressures of solving individuals’ high-stakes, emotionally charged problems. What lawyers don’t necessarily anticipate is that they may suffer stress from being stuck in a work situation that is not their first choice. Competition for jobs may mean that a lawyer needs to accept work outside his or… Read More »

Categories: 2015 September Blue Sky, Articles, Legal Careers, Wellness, Wellness

Find your blue sky

blue skies

Some lawyers seem to thrive, having found their ideal practice, while others still search for their blue sky. Discovering your values is a journey. As children we are brought up with the values our parents instilled in us. In early adulthood we may have experiences that challenge those family values. Attending university and unfettered from… Read More »

Categories: 2015 September Blue Sky, Articles, Legal Careers, Wellness, Wellness

Protecting the team – A firm’s most valuable asset

rowing team

There are certainties in life. Death. Taxes. A person who is well, physically and mentally, is more productive than if he or she is not well. That last truth should be self-evident; if it isn’t, it might be proved by the wealth of material published on wellness. A Google search produces 393,000,000 hits. That said,… Read More »

Categories: 2015 September Blue Sky, Articles, Firm Management, Wellness, Wellness

Book reviews: Two books for better health

The practicePRO Lending Library has two great books on wellness issues that you can borrow. If you are looking for help in finding more balance in your life, The Lawyer’s Guide to Balancing Life and Work, by George W. Kaufman, is just for you. Kaufman, who was a successful and seasoned partner for 40 years… Read More »

Categories: 2015 September Blue Sky, Articles, Legal Careers, Wellness, Wellness

Mental illness and lawyers: Moving from stigma to solutions

Legal professionals struggling with mental illness often do so in silence – especially in the workplace. They fear the loss of their jobs, their professional reputations or even their licences. As a result, they don’t seek the help they need – often, with catastrophic results. In 2011, mental illness cost Canadian business six billion dollars… Read More »

Categories: 2013 September practicePRO 15th, Articles, Wellness, Wellness

Stress management for law students (from a recent grad!)

We all know what law school stress looks like. Come exam time, we see its physical manifestations: the law student, hibernating in the law library, subsisting on a diet of coffee and candy, sits surrounded by mountains of books, empty cans of energy drinks and an arsenal of highlighters. We recognize the bloodshot eyes and… Read More »

Categories: 2014 Student Issue 2, Articles, Law students/new lawyers, New Lawyers, Wellness, Wellness

Land Acknowledgement

The offices of LAWPRO are located on the traditional territory of many nations including the Mississaugas of the Credit, Anishnabeg, Chippewa, Haudenosaunee and Wendat peoples. Toronto is covered by Treaty 13 with the Mississaugas of the Credit. LAWPRO respects and acknowledges the histories, languages, knowledge systems, and cultures of First Nations, Metis, and Inuit nations.

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