Mental Wellness for Women in the Law: Lend Your Voice Today
American Bar Association Commission on Women in the Profession

A Research Project examining mental wellness of women lawyers was recently launched under the direction of the ABA Commission on Women in the Profession. As a part of the research, a Survey has been launched which you may have received or will receive soon. Thanks in advance for completing the Survey. The results from the Survey will be helpful in not only determining experiences of men and women who are or have previously practiced law in the U.S. but also, will provide the researchers with valuable information to formulate recommendations for developing solutions for those experiences mental wellness challenges and creating more equitable workplaces for all attorneys.

In addition to the Survey, Focus Groups are being held as an important next step to supplement the information gathered from the Survey. We will host eight (8) virtual Focus Groups to ensure geographical diversity. We will host in-person focus groups which will be held in the four quadrants of the country and moderated by ABA past president Paulette Brown.

These focus groups will allow us to confidentially take a deeper dive into personal work experiences of both men and women attorneys without regard to whether they have been or have ever experiences mental wellness challenges in their legal careers. This is an important next step to build on the valuable information obtained through the survey process to further inform the researchers with information needed to complete the research project.

We would be honored to have you participate in our New Orleans Focus Group and share this invitation with your networks. Each focus group will be comprised of 15-20 participants to ensure a rich exchange of information and will last approximately 2 hours. Ideally, we will have participants from all demographics and employment segments (including in-house, law firms, the courts, academia, non-profit, and public sector).

The link below also provide you with an opportunity to sign up for one of the Virtual Focus Groups if your schedule will not permit you to attend the in-person Focus Group in New Orleans.

New Orleans Focus Group Information:

Date: Thursday, December 4, 2025
Time: 1 p.m.-3 p.m. Central Time
Location: Provided once you are registered
Please register using the link below

https://americanbar.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_eSbkt8gxWcpx7yC

Please note that lunch will be served 30 minutes prior to the commencement of the focus group.

Take the Survey

The ABA Commission on Women in the Profession has launched a research study to examine how the workplace experiences of women and men impact their mental health and wellness.

The primary purpose of this survey is to collect perspectives from both women and men across all demographics in the legal profession about stressors in their workplace, what they do for self-care, and ways their employer responds to these situations and promotes wellness.

The survey includes questions about your experiences in your workplace and the impact on your mental wellness and well-being. By taking this survey, you will contribute to knowledge about impact of workplace condition on the mental wellness and well-being of women lawyers. This survey should take less than 20 minutes of your time.

Thank you for your participation.

Take the Survey