A recent study published by the Public Library of Science looks at certain aspects of the legal profession culture and their effect on lawyers’ mental health and substance abuse. Justin Anker and Patrick R. Krill’s study, “Stress, drink, leave: An examination of gender-specific risk factors for mental health problems and attrition among licensed attorneys” seeks to investigate the implications of: work overcommitment, work-family conflict, permissiveness toward alcohol in the workplace, and the likelihood of promotion on the high rate of mental illness and heavy alcohol use in the legal profession, as well as the rate of attrition among women in the legal field. See, Anker, J., & Krill, P. R. (2021). “Stress, drink, leave: An examination of gender-specific risk factors for mental health problems and attrition among licensed attorneys.”

This was accomplished by collecting data from 2,863 lawyers of the California Lawyers Association and D.C. Bar in 2020. The study investigates these important issues prevalent in the legal field, however, as discussed in further detail, critical limitations exist especially given the unexpected impact of COVID-19.

The Study