Virginia Lawyers’ Wellness Initiative

The Virginia Lawyers’ Wellness Initiative coordinates the education of, and assistance to, judges, lawyers, and law students regarding professional health and wellness initiatives, with a specific focus on improving mental health and addressing substance abuse in the legal profession. 

Since 2019, the Virginia Lawyers’ Wellness Initiative has administered funding to the Virginia Judges & Lawyers Assistance Program (formerly Lawyers Helping Lawyers), an independent non-profit organization, which provides confidential, non-disciplinary assistance to members of the Virginia legal profession, as well as their family members, who experience impairment as a result of substance abuse or mental health issues. 

  • Wellness Initiative Reports

    A Profession at Risk
    The Report of the Committee on Lawyer Well-Being of the Supreme Court of Virginia, which contains recommendations for the structure, funding, and priorities of the Virginia Lawyers’ Wellness Initiative.

    The Occupational Risks of the Practice of Law
    The Report of the Virginia State Bar President’s Special Committee on Lawyer Well-Being examines twenty risks unique to the legal profession (including physical, mental & emotional, adaptation, and self-actualization risks) and includes practice pointers for individuals and organizations to ameliorate these risks.

    The Path to Lawyer Well-Being: Practical Recommendations for Positive Change
    This report, from the National Task Force on Lawyer Well-Being, served as the genesis for the Supreme Court of Virginia report. It includes national statistics on the lack of well-being in the legal profession and offers concrete, actionable recommendations to improve this issue.

  • Continuing Education and Other Resources

    Additional Resources from the Virginia State Bar

    The Virginia Lawyers Weekly Wellness Blog
    This no-cost section of the Virginia Lawyers Weekly website focuses on practice pointers for attorneys, judges, and their families with regularly updated content including topics such as time management, self-care, and physical well-being.

    Virginia CLE Wellness in the Legal Profession Courses
    Links to five 1-hour courses available from VA CLE that are free to Virginia judges, lawyers, and law students and have been approved for MCLE credit by the Virginia State Bar.