Proper mental health requires effort — especially for lawyers and law students. Healthy coping skills are key for law students to develop early.
Law students start law school with high life satisfaction and strong mental health measures. But within the first year of law school, they experience a significant increase in anxiety and depression. Research suggests that law students are among the most dissatisfied, demoralized, and depressed of any graduate student population.
– National Task Force on Lawyer Well-Being, The Path to Lawyer Well-Being: Practical Recommendations for Positive Change
Suffering through the struggle of law school isn’t necessary. You might not be able to make it easy, but you can make it better. And we can help! Whether you’re just starting your first year and don’t know what to expect, you’re a 3L and close to your career, or anywhere in between (or after!) — you need the right support to succeed.
First, practice self-care. It isn’t easy to reserve time to focus on yourself in law school or as a lawyer — but it is easy to risk burnout. Find more on self-care for lawyers and law students here.
Our Welcome to Law School: 3-Step Survival Guide covers stress, stress in law school, and strategies for responding to it. Whether anticipated it or not, stress in law school is difficult to avoid. Don’t wait to learn and practice healthy responses — feel better sooner.
Get 10 Practical Tips Law Students Need for a Healthy Career Path here. We all have unique experiences in law school; some challenges might feel positive naturally, and others might require more effort. Law school culture doesn’t always send the best messages — keep it in check with the right focus.
The Path to Law Student Well-Being — a new podcast series from the American Bar Association — provides helpful context and guidance. The first episode offers tools for faculty to support students, and the remaining 4 episodes highlight essentials for law students to focus on: Character & Fitness, Mindfulness, Growth Mindset, and Bar Exam. Find the episodes of The Path to Law Student Well-Being here.
Law students in Massachusetts can schedule a Free & Confidential consultation with one of our licensed clinicians and/or practice advisors. Find answers to common questions students have about using our services under Law Student FAQ, and submit anonymous questions here.
Find more on scheduling here.
Finally, you can find more resources on our main page for Law Students.
Related:
The Full Weight of Law School: Stress on Law Students is Different (LCL MA, 2019)
25 Legal Publications, Blogs, & Podcasts Every Law Student Should Follow (Concord Law School, 2021)
Free & Confidential Consultations:
Lawyers, law students, and judges in Massachusetts can discuss concerns with a licensed therapist, law practice advisor, or both. Find more on scheduling here.
