Our Interview With Mark Durso and Jill O’Neill, Director of Wellness and Executive Director of  the New Hampshire Lawyers Assistance Program 

By the Juris Education Interview Team

Mark Durso and Jill O’Neill are the Director of Wellness and Executive Director of the New Hampshire Lawyers Assistance Program. 

1. Why do you believe mental health support is especially important in the legal profession? 

Mark: Mental health support is essential regardless of occupation, but for some professions, such as law, it is critical to make sure appropriate services are in place. It can be challenging to navigate life, work, family, children, and everyday stressors. Adding dynamics inherent to working within the profession of law creates complicating factors. These factors include exposure to traumatic stories, images, and events for those who work in criminal defense or prosecution. Those who work in the legal profession are dealing with sensitive information that jeopardizes people’s livelihoods and freedoms and are tasked with resolving highly complex ethical and moral dilemmas. For professionals and professions that require exposure to people and events in this capacity, mental health support is a must. Mental health support can be used to support, process, and understand these events better. These supports can also be used to understand transference (how these events may impact us) and projection (how we react towards those around us). Mental health support can heighten our ability to critically think and solve problems through scenarios and overall, I recommend mental health support for everyone.

2. What are the most common mental health challenges you see among law students and early-career lawyers?

Mark: New attorneys and law students face numerous challenges. Some of the major struggles include organization, stress management, substance use, and achieving a balance between work and personal life or school. Many individuals also contend with mental health issues such as depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and feelings or thoughts of suicide. 

For many law students and new attorneys, this phase of life involves transitioning into adulthood, becoming new parents, navigating independent living, and managing finances. Additionally, for some, this path may represent a career change or a second career, which comes with its own set of unique challenges. These can include balancing demanding schedules, meeting financial obligations while pursuing a legal career, or putting personal lives on hold to handle daily responsibilities. 

Each person brings their own unique challenges, and we take these into account when working with individuals.

3. What services or resources does your program provide that might benefit aspiring or current law students?

How We Help:

Mental Health Support: The New Hampshire Lawyers Assistance Program (NHLAP) offers individual consultations to develop personalized support plans tailored to your mental health needs. We provide referrals to trusted treatment providers and help you navigate into appropriate care. While we do not offer treatment ourselves, we work closely with providers to ensure your needs are effectively addressed.

Addiction Recovery Support: At NHLAP, we understand the significant challenges that both emerging and experienced professionals may encounter regarding substance use, including problematic drinking, substance misuse, active addiction, legal issues, and maintaining sobriety. We are dedicated to providing compassionate, individualized support tailored to your unique needs and readiness for change. Our services focus on connecting you with effective, evidence-based recovery strategies. While we do not offer direct treatment, our goal is to empower you with the necessary resources and support to overcome these challenges and build a brighter, healthier future.

Individual Peer Support: Connecting with others who have experienced similar recovery journeys can be transformative. NHLAP provides the opportunity to engage with peers, both within the legal profession and outside of it, to create a supportive community where you can share experiences and find encouragement on your path to recovery. 

Connect and Thrive with NHLAP's Wellness Group Networking: The demanding nature of law school and legal practice can be overwhelming. That's why NHLAP offers confidential support group meetings and engaging discussion forums, which are by invitation only and are facilitated by the NHLAP. Join us to cultivate a sense of community where legal professionals and students can openly share their experiences and uplift one another. Together, we can navigate the challenges of our profession and foster resilience on our journey. Don’t face it alone—be part of a supportive network that truly understands!

Professional Development Support: We are committed to supporting your professional development and personal well-being. NHLAP focuses on enhancing your organizational skills by providing effective time management tools, stress management strategies, and guidance in conflict resolution. With this invaluable support, you can direct your energy toward succeeding in law school and confidently advance your legal career.

Career and Life Transitions: Career and life transitions are common, and the Lawyers Assistance Program is here to help. No matter if you are looking to change the area of law practice or searching for opportunities outside of the field, our team is here to help. Change can be stressful, and the Lawyers Assistance Program will build upon professional and personal strengths and work hand over hand to support you with this important professional transition.

Challenges Affecting Bar Membership: We help candidates and current Bar members overcome obstacles related to their admission or membership status. Our program recognizes the complexities of bar admission and the Character & Fitness evaluation process. The New Hampshire Lawyers Assistance Program collaborates with law students, the Office of Bar Admission, and the Committee on Character & Fitness to provide support and advocacy for successful admission to the New Hampshire Bar. This assistance may include access to clinical services, mentorship, attorney referrals and other treatment resources. Additionally, we offer a Professional’s Health & Recovery Monitoring Program for those at greater risk.

All services are confidential, free, and designed to promote the well-being and success of law students as they navigate their education and careers. 

4. How can law schools better support students’ mental health, and what role should institutions play in creating healthier environments?

Jill: At NHLAP, we believe that incorporating wellness into school curriculums is essential. To become skilled lawyers, students must develop a high level of emotional intelligence. While they enhance their critical thinking and problem-solving abilities, it is crucial to emphasize self-awareness and the importance of self-care in their professional journey.

Law schools are uniquely positioned to fight stigma around help-seeking and make support super easy to find.

Practical steps:

• Put wellness in the curriculum. Either build wellness into required courses or offer for-credit opportunities. Courses should feature tips for stress management, setting boundaries, spotting warning signs, and learning how to ask for help.
• Train faculty. Many universities and other accredited programs offer Mental Health First Aid or short mental health workshops. Try to take advantage of these opportunities for law professors and other faculty.
• Back student-led programs. Fund and advise peer events and forums that normalize honest conversation. Be clear about confidentiality expectations.
• Partner with your state’s Lawyers Assistance Program. You might want to co-host office hours, create referral pathways, and provide accurate guidance on Character and Fitness disclosures related to mental health and substance use. Try to include LAP contact info on syllabi and student portals.
• Use orientation to your advantage. This is a rare opportunity to get everyone together in one place. Run an interactive panel with counseling, disability services, the LAP, and student leaders. Take anonymous questions (e.g., through Slido) and hand out a one-page resource sheet.
• Make services easy to reach. Law schools should post information about on-campus counseling services, crisis hotlines, short-wait appointments, after-hours options, and community referrals. Space permitting, they could have rooms for private telehealth appointments.‍
• Invite practicing lawyers to share real stories. Host sessions where attorneys and judges talk candidly about challenges and recovery, plus what helped. Offer small-group follow-ups.

5. Are there any misconceptions about mental health in the legal community that you believe need to be addressed?

Mark/Jill: There are many misconceptions about mental health. We hear many legal professional say “It doesn’t affect me” and some believe that addressing mental health struggles is a sign of weakness or incompetence. These statements are just not true. As a matter of fact, it’s quite the opposite. Some of the strongest people we have worked with have faced mental health and addiction challenges head on. They did the hard work. In turn, they became more competent professionals and had a greater sense of self, identity, and purpose not only in their professional lives but personally as well. Challenge these types of thoughts. It is a key piece to addressing wellness.

6. How can law students and future lawyers build sustainable practices to manage stress, burnout, and work-life balance long-term?

Mark: I believe it is very possible to develop sustainable practice, manage stress and burnout, and have a work-life balance. Possible, yes; easy, absolutely not. It is going to take a lot of effort to create balance. There will be good days and there will be many bad ones. I see persistence and perseverance as being key characteristics to developing a balanced dynamic within everyone’s life, not just legal professionals. This balance is also going to be very individualized, and it will be the legal professional’s responsibility to determine what that balance looks like in order to develop wellness. I believe that this is achieved when we feel a sense of purpose and fulfillment and satisfaction with our accomplishments, be it for the day, week, month, or year. Within balance there will be the opportunity to take personal ownership and accountability, which is important when building a sustainable career and managing life’s complications. It is hard work but if we make the choice to do our best every day, be reflective and take ownership, and show up, then we can’t go wrong.

Juris Education is proud to feature insights from leaders like Mark Durso and Jill O’Neill, to help pre-law students better understand how to care for their mental health throughout the demanding journey to law school.