From the outset of my legal career I’ve witnessed the toll our profession can take on our mental health, even in the best of times. We often measure success in terms of billable hours or getting our name on the firm’s letterhead, but it’s past time to update this perspective. Professional success can and should coexist with happiness and well-being and our mental health and our ability to represent our clients depend on it.

According to The Florida Bar’s 2019 membership survey, 92% of lawyers experience a great deal of stress – or at least some – in the practice of law. That’s an overwhelming figure. But it makes sense: When your entire career is built around advocating for others and helping to solve their problems, it’s natural that focusing on your own interests could slip to the back burner.

This Saturday, October 10, is World Mental Health Day. I see no better opportunity to highlight the remarkable strides The Florida Bar has made to help its members combat mental health issues within our legal community, while also looking toward the future to see what more we can do.