Choose To Be a Happy Lawyer

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Lawyerly happiness and unhappiness is one hot-hot topic. We’ve blogged about being a small-town lawyer, resiliency, and managing stress, just to mention a few of our happy lawyer posts.

And there’s still more. In a recent article in the ABA publication Law Practice, the author points out some disturbing stats and headlines about the profession. For instance, lawyers are 3.6 times more likely to be depressed than the general population, and suicides are on the rise. The profession itself is currently ranked by U.S. News & World Report at 51 in the 100 Best Jobs listing, two down from nail technicians.

Despite this gloom, the author asserts that lawyers owe it to themselves and the profession to actively choose to become happy, by deciding to –

  • See the big picture
  • Laugh more
  • Cultivate optimism
  • Pay attention to work-life balance
  • Give back to others
  • Engage in positive relationships
  • Hone skills to become a good lawyer

See Marian C. Rice, A Good and Happy Lawyer, 40(4) Law Practice 16 (July/August 2014). You can find more materials on work/life balance and happy lawyering in our Law Career Resources guide.

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