What Helps Until it Doesn’t: Alcohol, Stress and the Practice of Law

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The practice of law places legal professionals under extraordinary and often chronic stress, making it easy for unhealthy coping strategies to become normalized. We will explore the relationship between stress, alcohol use, and lawyer well-being through a compassionate, evidence-informed lens. Participants will examine how legal culture, burnout, perfectionism, and the demands of practice can influence drinking behaviors, even among high-functioning professionals. Rather than focusing on judgment or abstinence, this presentation encourages greater self-awareness, healthier coping strategies, and practical tools for sustainable well-being. Attorneys will leave with strategies to support themselves, their colleagues, and a healthier legal profession.

Learning Objectives:

• Recognize how stress, burnout, and legal culture can influence alcohol use and other coping behaviors.
• Examine the relationship between lawyer mental health, substance use, resilience, and ethical competence.
• Apply practical, evidence-informed strategies to build healthier coping skills, improve self-awareness, and support long-term well-being in legal practice.
• Identify resources that support lawyers seeking to reduce stress, change their relationship with alcohol, or assist colleagues in need.

To register for the upcoming live webinar, please check back later.