Wisconsin lawyers tapped for national mental health study

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Emails will go out next week to approximately 17,300 randomly selected members of the State Bar of Wisconsin as part of a new nationwide research initiative focused on lawyer mental health and well-being.

The study is being led by Patrick Krill, a nationally recognized expert on lawyer behavioral health, and his research partner, Dr. Justin Anker of the University of Minnesota Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences. It’s part of a collaboration with the American Bar Association Commission on Lawyer Assistance Programs.

The national project seeks to build upon the landmark 2016 ABA-Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation study by providing a comprehensive 10-year update on mental health and substance use within the legal profession.

In the years since the original study, the legal landscape has shifted dramatically — through the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, evolving workplace expectations, and the increasing role of technology. As such, a renewed and rigorous assessment is both timely and essential. To ensure broad representation and improve upon prior research methods, the current study will employ a randomized sample approach and reach a larger and more diverse cross-section of the lawyer population.

Selected members of the State Bar of Wisconsin will receive an email invitation to participate in the anonymous and confidential survey.

The survey takes about 20 minutes and will examine a wide range of individual and workplace-related factors that influence lawyer well-being, including:

• Mental health indicators such as stress, anxiety and depression
• Substance use behaviors and attitudes
• Workplace culture, including burnout, workload and access to support
• Protective factors that promote positive mental and physical health

All responses will be anonymous and confidential. No identifying information will be collected or shared with the state bar. Survey data will be managed exclusively by the University of Minnesota and only aggregate results will be shared with the state bar to help inform future support and programming for Wisconsin lawyers.