“Keeping a stiff upper lip” may be a thing of the past. The stereotype of the British remaining emotionless in times of adversity is fading as leading figures in corporations and professional service firms in London are opening up about their battles with depression, anxiety and exhaustion.

As the legal profession navigates what increasingly looks like a mental health crisis, this emerging culture of candor might have lessons on the other side of the Atlantic. Law firms in both the U.S. and the U.K. have adopted programs recently focused on attorney wellness. But the U.S. is missing a ledger of professional leaders willing to reveal their own mental heath struggles—a step that makes it easier for individuals in their own organizations and others to seek help.