Episode 135-Tackling Mental Health Issues in the Law with Amy Levine and LCL

Attorney well-being continues to be a hot topic in the legal community.  While the most severe effects of the pandemic are now behind us, mental health continues to be a significant issue in our profession. But there is a lot being done to address these challenges. To provide some context, several years ago, the Report of the Task Force on Lawyer Well-Being, issued by the American Bar Association, Conference of Chief Judges, and other legal organizations, called well-being an essential element of a lawyer’s duty of competence. In Massachusetts, Lawyers Concerned for Lawyers plays a vital role in supporting attorneys, and the Supreme Judicial Court of Massachusetts has established a Standing Committee on Lawyer Well-Being to enhance the well-being of lawyers, judges, and law students in the Commonwealth. In this episode, my former colleague, Amy Levine discusses the many initiatives going on in Massachusetts and around the country.  Amy is the Director of Programs and Volunteers at Lawyers Concerned for Lawyers (LCL) of Massachusetts. Amy has over 20 years of experience in the legal industry.  She has worked in in marketing, human resources, and legal recruiting and has a background in social work.   In 2018, Amy was one of the first guests on this podcast where she talked about interviewing. At LCL, Amy creates programs for the Massachusetts legal community and provides customized educational programming for various legal organizations. She also recruits and manages LCL’s volunteers, who assist in running recovery groups, provide peer monitoring services, and act as ambassadors for the organization. We discuss the critical role of Lawyers Assistance Programs around the country, the extensive range of services offered by LCL, and the impact these programs have on lawyer well-being.