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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.
I believe that mental health support is important regardless of occupation but for some professions, such as law, it can be critical to make sure appropriate services are in place. It can be difficult to navigate life, work, family, children, and everyday stressors. Adding dynamics inherent to working within the profession of law, it 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.
For new attorneys and law students, there are many challenges faced. I see some of the larger struggles being organization, stress management, substance use, and finding/maintaining a work-life/school balance. I have also worked with many who struggle with mental health challenges such as depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder, and those experiencing feelings and thoughts of suicide. Many law students and new attorneys are learning how to transition into adulthood, becoming new parents, and learning how to navigate independent housing and manage finances. For others, this may be a second career or a career transition. These come with their own unique challenges, which can include balancing busy schedules, managing financial obligations while pursuing a career in law, or having to put personal life on hold to manage day-to-day obligations. Every person comes with their own unique challenges, which we consider when working with everyone.
The New Hampshire Lawyers Assistance Program does not provide direct clinical services. However, we do offer peer support groups, including Lawyers Concerned for Lawyers, a recovery-based peer support meeting, a Lawyer Wellness Group, and a Life After Law group for legal professionals who are transitioning to retirement. All of our groups are peer-facilitated. We also offer individual consultation support in which we can connect attorneys to vetted clinical resources within their community. Many of these clinical resources are colleagues or professionals we have worked with in the past and are trusted and well respected within the community. Additionally, we offer monitoring services, practice management resources, and employment support, as well as support for any issues that impact bar membership.
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.
Mark: I think all schools should incorporate wellness into their curriculum. We are taught how to critically think, examine information, and complete complex problem solving on matters that are highly ethically and legally complex, yet we fail to recognize and be taught to have a greater awareness for self and critical ingredients for wellness. Stigma on mental health is an important factor and a barrier to obtaining support. I also see that many going through law school are being sent the message that we must be stoic and mask our feelings. I think generally education regarding wellness and signs and symptoms of mental health and substance use disorders should be a part of every school curriculum. We want to arm our students with the tools to be competent professionals, but we fail to provide them with resources on how to be competent adults. I believe that a piece of competence is self-recognition. If we are facing challenges in life, be it mental health, substance use, physical health, financial, etc., a piece of wellness and competence is seeking support and using the resources from those around us. I think schools often fall short in providing us with the basic information to assess when we need support as well as the tools to navigate these challenges.
Jill: It is crucial for all schools to weave wellness into their curricula. We spend countless hours learning to think critically, analyze complex information, and tackle ethically and legally challenging issues. Yet, we often overlook the fundamental importance of self-awareness and the essential elements of personal wellness. The stigma surrounding mental health serves as a significant barrier that prevents many from seeking the support they need.
In law schools, students frequently receive the misguided message that they must remain stoic and suppress their emotions. This only underscores the urgent need for comprehensive education on wellness as an understanding of the signs and symptoms of mental health and substance use disorders. Our goal should be to prepare students to be not just competent professionals, but also competent adults.
True competence involves self-awareness. Life presents an array of challenges, mental health issues, substance use, physical health problems, or financial stress. Recognizing when we need help and seeking support from those around us is a vital aspect of wellness. Unfortunately, schools often fail to equip students with basic knowledge to identify when they need assistance or to provide the tools necessary to navigate these challenges effectively.
Let’s advocate for a holistic approach to education that prioritizes wellness, ensuring our students leave school not only ready to excel in their careers but also prepared to thrive in their personal lives.
Mark/Jill: I think there are many misconceptions about mental health. I hear many legal professionals say, “It doesn’t affect me,” and some believe that addressing mental health struggles is not 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 I have worked with have faced mental health 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.
I believe it is very possible to develop a 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 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.
