The practice of law is a stressful profession. Lawyers face intense pressure with long hours, demanding clients, high-stakes and high-conflict deals or cases, and high professional and societal standards. As a result, the legal profession faces high rates of depression, substance use, and behavioral addictions. Chronic stress can also strain the body to the point of causing life-threatening diseases, and …
Joel Bennett is a highly respected attorney who has been a legal leader in the Austin area for more than 45 years. He has served as a lieutenant in the armed forces, worked for the Travis County Attorney, been honored by the State Bar of Texas, and been appointed and served as the first judge of the Travis County Adult Drug Court, where he presided over and saved thousands of lives.
This is what I know: Depression lies. Depression will tell you that you aren’t successful, that you don’t deserve what you have. That you aren’t a good partner, parent, child, or friend. Depression holds you hostage. It isolates you and warps your reality. It distances you from those who love you and whispers words of shame, doubt, and derision. It …
Hi, I’m Carly, and by the grace of a Power much smarter than me, I have been in a 12-step recovery program since April 30, 2011. I have never publicly disclosed my sobriety despite it being a part of my life about which I am most proud, most protective, and for which I am most profoundly grateful. Yet, I have …
The legal profession is often associated with prestige, financial success, and intellectual rigor. However, behind the veneer of professional accomplishment, many lawyers grapple with intense pressures, burnout, and stress throughout their careers. When they retire, these challenges often don’t disappear. In fact, for many, retirement can exacerbate underlying mental health and substance abuse issues, leading to a crisis that demands …
The Lawyer Well-Being Committee of the Austin Bar Association invites you to participate in a fundraiser for suicide awareness and prevention. The fundraiser is a walk that will take place on Oct. 26 at 10 a.m., starting at the Texas Capitol. These “Out of the Darkness” walks are hosted by the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP), which has chapters …
My name is Mary-Ellen King. I am the current president of the Austin Bar Association. This is my story. I grew up in church, a star athlete, always a leader—secretary of my high school’s student-government association, sorority officer, involved in campus politics, president of alum clubs, Rotary president, president of the Austin Bar, and leadership in various foundations, to name …
It is a myth that an individual seemingly functioning well at work could not also be an addict and suffering from severe emotional trauma. My own experience painted a picture of an individual who continued to maintain the façade of functionality at work despite the extent of my alcohol and drug use. I looked like a functional lawyer, but I …
The Austin Bar Association is launching the “Stop the Stigma” campaign, an initiative of 2024-25 President Mary-Ellen King, to destigmatize mental health substance abuse struggles, as well as raise suicide prevention awareness in the legal profession. The two tentpoles of this new campaign are the newly launched Stop the Stigma podcast, as well as increased efforts to recruit authors to …
Editor’s Note: This article was reprinted with the permission of the Texas Lawyers’ Assistance Program (TLAP). TLAP offers confidential assistance for lawyers, law students, and judges with substance use or mental health issues. Call or text TLAP at 1-800-343-TLAP (8527) or find more information at tlaphelps.org. At the ripe age of 41, my entire life has been leading up to the …