Well-Being Pledge

LMA Well-Being Commitment and Pledge

LMA Well-Being Pledge

LMA supports the well-being of all of our members and we are pleased to launch the LMA Well-Being Commitment and Pledge.

The purpose of the LMA Well-Being Commitment and Pledge is to create a healthy and safe environment for LMA members, and to empower them to help create healthy work environments at their law firms and organizations. The goal is to bring awareness and a call-to-action toward eliminating stigmas related to one’s overall well-being, which is comprised of physical, emotional and mental health. Through the Well-Being Pledge, we look to bring a greater awareness and acceptance of well-being challenges and to create healthy environments where everyone can feel supported, is comfortable seeking help, and encouraged to be themselves.

The pledge asks individuals to commit to championing, validating and fostering healthy ways for all of us to collaborate, learn and grow as a community. The pledge is the primary vehicle to promote the importance of healthy minds and to encourage others to join the conversations, create change and build a community of caring and support for one another.

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Well-Being Commitment and Pledge

The ABA Well-Being Campaign launched in 2018 to improve the substance use and mental health landscape of the legal profession, with an emphasis on helping legal employers support a healthy work environment. The primary vehicle for the campaign is a pledge calling upon legal employers (including law firms, corporate entities, government agencies, and legal aid organizations) to:

(a) recognize that substance use and mental health problems represent a significant challenge for the legal profession and acknowledge that more can and should be done to improve the health and well-being of legal professionals; and,
(b) pledge to adopt and prioritize a seven-point framework for building a better future.

As part of LMA’s Well-Being Commitment and Pledge, we ask our membership to first, take care of yourselves, and secondly to consider encouraging your firms and companies to adopt the ABA pledge and/or work within your organizations to implement any or all of the seven aspects of the pledge within your scope of influence. For firms that don’t formally adopt the Pledge, LMA members can commit to living and promoting the pledge (or aspects of the Pledge that are in their control) within their own departments or for themselves.

1. Provide enhanced and ongoing education to [all professionals] on topics related to well-being, mental health and substance use disorders.

►LMA members will suggest, influence and help plan and/or promote well-being programming within their firms and companies.

2.   Provide alternative options regarding alcohol-based events:
a.   Challenge the expectation that all events must include alcohol and seek creative alternatives.
b.   Ensure there are always appealing nonalcoholic alternatives when alcohol is served, like specialty mocktails and other enticing alternatives.

►LMA members will help encourage, create and plan events for their firms and teams that are not centered on alcohol consumption and/or offer unique alternatives to alcohol.

3. Develop visible partnerships with outside resources committed to reducing substance use disorders and mental health distress in the profession: including healthcare insurers, lawyer assistance programs, employee assistance programs and experts in the field.

►LMA members will reach out to their HR teams, if available, or others at their firm to promote connection with well-being resources available to all members of their organization and work to ensure that all members of their marketing/BD team are aware of these resources.

4. Provide confidential access to addiction and mental health experts and resources, including free, in-house, self-assessment tools.

►LMA members will ensure that all members of their team are aware of confidential well-being resources available through their organization (such as through an EAP). They may also reach out to their HR teams, if available, or others at the firm to encourage the promotion of and/or help promote resources available that might not be readily known to all members of their organization.

5. Develop proactive policies and protocols to support assessment and treatment of substance use and mental health problems, including a defined back-to-work policy following treatment.

►LMA members will reach out to their HR teams, if available, or others at their firm to confirm that proactive policies and protocols are in place to support assessment and treatment of substance use and mental health disorders and ensure that their teams are aware of firm/company policies and support available to them.

6. Actively and consistently demonstrate that help-seeking and self-care are core cultural values, by regularly supporting programs to improve physical, mental and emotional well-being.

►LMA members will be leaders within their organization in supporting well-being programs. They will prioritize their own physical, mental and emotional well-being and actively encourage their teams and peers to do the same.

7. Highlight the adoption of this well-being framework to attract and retain the best lawyers and [professional] staff.

►LMA members will assist their firm/company in promoting adoption of the well-being pledge to help normalize and promote discussions of well-being and mental health.

Next Steps

1. Sign the LMA Well-Being Pledge, indicating your committment to helping integrate mental and well-being into your firm or organization, and your own lives.

2. Access the Well-Being Toolkit (see Toolkit in the Resource Center) for ways to bring a well-being culture to your firm or organization.

3. Peruse the LMA Well-Being Resource Center for information and resources to use in your well-being journey and to share with your firm or organization.