health

I typically write about legal ethics and professionalism. But I’ve also spent hundreds of hours studying wellness—earning certifications in yoga and professional coaching—and working to understand how lawyers, including myself, can navigate the intense pressure of this profession. Because how we care for ourselves shapes how we show up in our work, I am stepping outside of my usual role and sharing simple steps that anyone can use, anytime, to support their well-being. Welcome to my 1^st annual Wellness Blog.

Jeanne Huey, JD, 500-Hour Certified Yoga Instructor, Master Certified Professional Coach

Our well-being directly affects our ability to meet our professional obligations—starting with the most fundamental duties outlined in the ABA Model Rules of Professional Conduct. A lawyer experiencing burnout, chronic stress, or unaddressed mental-health challenges may struggle to provide competent representation under Rule 1.1, maintain appropriate communication with clients under Rule 1.4, or exercise independent judgment under Rule 2.1. Even duties of diligence (Rule 1.3) and scope of representation (Rule 1.2) can be compromised when we’re operating in a state of depletion. In other words, wellness has everything to do with ethics and professionalism.

Wellness Can’t Wait
As professionals, we spend our days inside systems we didn’t design. We respond to what’s pressing. We meet other people’s deadlines. In the process, we often neglect the quiet and frequently hidden urgency of our own well-being.

For lawyers, the cost of neglecting our wellness is clear: Burnout, anxiety, depression, and substance misuse are still on the rise. Law students face similar pressures, often with little or no support. While the ABA, state bars, and law schools have launched various wellness initiatives that are important and positive, the fact is that change in our profession tends to move slowly.

The good news is that we don’t have to wait. We can take charge of our well-being and do it now.

Consider this: No one teaches a tree to lean toward the light. It does so because growth depends on it. In the same way, tending to our well-being isn’t indulgence—it’s survival intelligence. It gives you an advantage. And, in the big picture, it’s the hallmark of professionalism in the legal profession.

Wellness Is Personal, But It Doesn’t Have to Be Solitary
Don’t wait for your firm, the bar, or the senior partner to set an example. Set your own example of wellness—and as you do, look out for others. Share the resources you find helpful, like I am doing with this blog. Normalize healthy boundaries. Ask how people are really doing. It may not be easy to do at first, but it is necessary if we are to look after each other as we should.

In a profession built on mentorship, taking care of yourself also sets a precedent for a sustainable practice—and shows others that balance is possible. It doesn’t take much to start:

• Trade one nonessential call for a silent walk.
• Turn a routine task into a mindfulness anchor: writing an email, preparing an outline, or greeting a colleague.
• Practice saying no without excuse.
• Stop apologizing for not meeting expectations that you set for yourself.

These aren’t empty gestures. They’re small decisions that move the needle in your favor—protecting your time, energy, and attention so that you are at your best when you need to be.

Learn to Reset
You don’t need more time, space, special equipment, or another box on your checklist to reset and clear your mind. Just a shift in focus for a few moments throughout the day is all that is required.

Moving and breathing, sometimes called “walking meditation”, is the most accessible form of this reset for busy professionals, especially during a demanding workday.
Don’t get hung up on the term “meditation”. This is simply taking time to focus on your breath, which helps shift the nervous system out of fight-or-flight. You can feel the difference after just a few minutes. The goal is to activate the parasympathetic system—your body’s natural reset mechanism.

There is nothing new or groundbreaking about this practice; the Center for Brain Health at UT Dallas recommends short “brain breaks” throughout the day to improve focus and decision-making. Getting started is simple:

• Put down your phone.
• Walk at a steady pace or stand or sit with your back turned to your workspace.
• Inhale for four steps/counts, exhale for 6.
• Focus on the sensation of your feet on the ground.
• When your mind drifts, return your focus to your breath or steps.

It takes just five minutes. No special gear. No perfect conditions. No voice in your ear giving instructions. Just a hallway, stairwell, sidewalk, or quiet corner is enough.
When you are done, return to your task with a clearer mind. Repeated over time, this practice will become a natural—and essential—part of how you work.

Tending to Yourself Is Wise, Not Selfish
Our profession demands much from our intellect, our judgment, our energy, and our presence. To uphold our duties to clients, the courts, and the public, we must bring focus, steadiness, and competency to our work.

Taking a few minutes for ourselves isn’t a diversion from our duties—it’s what makes it possible to fulfill them.

If you or a lawyer you know needs help or just someone to talk to, help is available from your state bar Lawyer Assistance Program (LAP). Click here for a list of the contact information for each state’s LAP.

All but the authors paragraph in italics at the top is © 2025 by the American Bar Association. Reproduced with permission. All rights reserved. This information or any portion thereof may not be copied or disseminated in any form or by any means or stored in an electronic database or retrieval system without the express written consent of the American Bar Association.