Well-Being and the Law

This seminar explores issues related to well-being (and ill-being) in legal education and the legal profession. In particular, this seminar will critically examine the prevalence of mental distress and substance abuse in the profession and develop meaningful, lasting solutions to these issues. Unlike most well-being classes that are applied (i.e., focus on mindfulness and other self-care techniques), this course is uniquely designed for students to look at well-being issues from a critical, scholarly lens. Specific topics include: the scope of the problem of mental distress and substance abuse in the legal profession; causes of law student and lawyer ill-being; steps taken to promote well-being in legal education and the profession; the economic case for promoting well-being; critiques of the so-called “well-being movement”; the physical effects of lawyer ill-being; the effect of vicarious trauma on lawyer ill-being; the role diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging plays in promoting lawyer well-being; and the future of well-being in legal education and the legal profession. Students will engage in discussion and reflection and will also write an extensive paper and do a formal oral presentation of their paper topic for the class. The material in this course can be graphic and emotionally challenging but is nonetheless required. Therefore, all students should carefully gauge their tolerance for this difficult material before choosing to take this class. UPPER-CLASS WRITING REQUIREMENT: Students may satisfy the requirement in part with a 3,000-word paper or in full with a 6,000-word paper. ** A student who fails to attend the initial meeting of a seminar, or obtain permission to be absent from either the instructor or the Registrar, may be administratively dropped from the seminar. Students who are on a wait list for a seminar are required to attend the first seminar meeting to be considered for enrollment.