By Raul Ayala, JD and Matt Thiese, MSPH, Ph.D.

 

The legal profession is notorious for its high-pressure environment, long working hours, and emotional strain, but new research from the Hispanic National Bar Association (HNBA) in collaboration with the Institute for Well-being in Law (IWIL) and Rocky Mountain Center for Occupational and Environmental Health (RMCOEH) is shedding light on the unique challenges faced by Hispanic lawyers. Preliminary results from the first ever Hispanic Lawyers Wellness Study reveal significant levels of burnout, depression, and anxiety among Hispanic legal professionals, calling attention to an urgent need for tailored mental health interventions within the profession.

The Scope of the Study

The study is a nationwide effort to understand the specific well-being challenges Hispanic lawyers face. The survey comprises 60 questions and was designed to capture the mental health status, burnout levels, and unique stressors affecting these professionals. One notable finding: 89% of the participants are first-generation lawyers, highlighting the added pressures related to navigating the legal landscape without familial precedent.

Mental Health at a Glance

The legal profession has long been identified as a high-risk field for mental health issues. Previous research has reported that:

  • 28% of lawyers experience depression.
  • 19% report anxiety.
  • 14% suffer from burnout.
  • 24–36% engage in problematic alcohol use.
  • 11.5% have had suicidal thoughts.

The Hispanic Lawyers Wellness Study builds on this body of knowledge by focusing specifically on the experiences of Hispanic attorneys. Preliminary results indicate that lawyers who litigate are at significantly higher risk for mental health issues. Those who spend the majority of their time in litigation are:

  • 2.9 times more likely to experience burnout.
  • 2.27 times more likely to report anxiety.
  • 2.95 times more likely to suffer from depression.

Additionally, female Hispanic lawyers are nearly three times more likely to experience burnout compared to their male colleagues.

The Impact of Burnout

The study found that Hispanic lawyers who have considered leaving the profession due to mental health challenges are:

  • 16.9 times more likely to experience depression.
  • 8.5 times more likely to experience burnout.
  • 4.1 times more likely to report anxiety.

These figures are especially concerning, given that nearly 40% of respondents expressed an intention to leave the legal profession, largely due to mental health problems, stress, or burnout. The study’s results also suggest that enthusiasm for the legal profession plays a significant role in well-being. Lawyers who report never feeling enthusiastic about their work are 104 times more likely to experience burnout and are 10.8 times more likely to suffer from depression.

Social Support as a Buffer

One of the more encouraging findings of the study is the protective effect of close friendships. Hispanic lawyers with 3–5 close friends are:

  • 5 times less likely to report anxiety or burnout.
  • 7 times less likely to experience depression.

This protective effect increases for those with 6–9 close friends, further emphasizing the importance of social support in mitigating mental health challenges.

Wellness Strategies

In response to these alarming findings, many Hispanic lawyers are turning to wellness practices to maintain their mental health. Of those surveyed:

  • 81% engage in exercise.
  • 41% seek counseling.
  • 33% practice meditation.
  • 27% participate in volunteer work.
  • 22% use prescribed antidepressant or anti-anxiety medications.

The study’s findings underscore the critical need for the legal profession to develop more comprehensive wellness strategies, particularly for minority groups. Hispanic lawyers face unique challenges—such as being first-generation professionals—which compound the mental health risks that are already prevalent in the legal field.

Moving Forward

As the study continues to analyze data, the research team hopes to use these insights to design interventions tailored specifically for Hispanic lawyers. Given the high rates of burnout, depression, and anxiety among Hispanic lawyers who participated in the study, the results suggest that Hispanic lawyers, and maybe all lawyers of color face additional challenges to their mental well-being. A supportive work environment, increased access to mental health resources, and fostering strong social networks could help mitigate the adverse effects of stress and improve overall well-being in this essential workforce.

The preliminary results of the Hispanic Lawyers Wellness Study should serve as a wake-up call for law firms, professional associations, and policymakers alike. By prioritizing mental health and creating targeted wellness programs, the legal profession can begin to reverse the trend of burnout and improve the long-term well-being of its practitioners.

 

 

About the Authors

Raul Ayala, JD

Hispanic National Bar Association–Co-ChairRaul Ayala is the collaborative courts supervising attorney for the Federal Public Defender’s Office in the Central District of California. As such, he has been assigned as the lead deputy federal public defender for each of the Conviction and Sentence Alternatives (CASA) Program courts—two in Los Angeles and one each in Santa Ana and Riverside. In addition, he is a team member of the Substance Abuse Treatment and Reentry (STAR) Program, the district’s post-conviction reentry drug court. Raul has been part of the CASA and STAR programs since 2011 and also serves as the office supervisor for its developing Social Services Unit.

Matt Thiese, MSPH, Ph.D.

Dr. Matthew Thiese’s research focuses on the overlap between a person’s job and their health.  This includes everything from musculoskeletal disorders like Low Back Pain or Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, to motor vehicle crashes, to COVID-19, to mental well-being. He is interested in identification of potential risk factors, interventions to prevent injury or illness, evidence-based practice for both treatment and prevention, and assessments of worker health and safety fitness-for-duty.  His graduate degrees are in Public Health, specifically Occupational Epidemiology and Injury Prevention. He has coauthored 109 articles (29 as first author), 34 practice guidelines and 5 book chapters and is a tenured Associate Professor at the University of Utah.