Akin Suicide Forum

[target_corp]

In any event, it seems pretty gross to me to use the person's passing as a "jumping off point" or whatever for a broader discussion.

Please let us know, Anon, when it's convenient for you for us to talk about mental illness here--because I've been waiting a long time for it to be convenient.

[Anonymous User]

This Jamez guy seems too sincere to be a troll but I genuinely cannot follow his ramblings. Is his point that while biglaw is a stressful environment that can exacerbate mental health issues, we shouldn’t complain or try to improve things because: 1. there are other high stress jobs so this is not unique to biglaw (he brings up vets being more suicidal than lawyers) and 2. we can quit at any time? What do either of those points have to do with trying to improve mental health in biglaw? This forum is called top law schools (a forum for lawyers not veterinarians) - although I’m all for talking about improving mental health in all industries. It is also hard to just quit something you spent 3 years of your life and $250k to become qualified to do.

As an anecdote, I’m a fourth year in m&a who had no mental health issues prior to joining biglaw and I was a generally positive guy. I’m now anxious, jaded and stressed most of the day. Once you join biglaw you’ll see that many law firms do not care about your mental health (other than the midday meditation/yoga zoom classes that they set up that no lawyer has time to attend) and will prioritize the billable hour at all costs. This is why a bunch us want to talk about how to improve mental health in biglaw. What is your objection to that?

I don’t think anyone here knows what caused this young associate’s death but, based on my experience, I would not be surprised if the biglaw environment could have contributed to it - isn’t that enough of a reason to try to improve the way mental health is addressed in biglaw?

[Anonymous User]

I know some firms give billable credit for pro bono and diversity/inclusion activities. It was well known that everyone just gamed these programs to max out the 100-200 hours of easy or "freebie" "work", so why don't firms just give 50 or something mental health hours as billable credit and let associates pick if they want to get their easy hours from pro bono, mental health, or whatever else.

[whats an updog]

As an anecdote, I’m a fourth year in m&a who had no mental health issues prior to joining biglaw and I was a generally positive guy. I’m now anxious, jaded and stressed most of the day. Once you join biglaw you’ll see that many law firms do not care about your mental health (other than the midday meditation/yoga zoom classes that they set up that no lawyer has time to attend) and will prioritize the billable hour at all costs. This is why a bunch us want to talk about how to improve mental health in biglaw. What is your objection to that?

Same here. 4th year. No issues prior to law, but definitely have been pretty affected.

It's silly to say that biglaw only exacerbates existing mental health problems. It can and does create them. Not going to rehash but the law student earlier in this thread thinking they know anything is dumb as all hell.

[Anonymous User]

As an anecdote, I’m a fourth year in m&a who had no mental health issues prior to joining biglaw and I was a generally positive guy. I’m now anxious, jaded and stressed most of the day. Once you join biglaw you’ll see that many law firms do not care about your mental health (other than the midday meditation/yoga zoom classes that they set up that no lawyer has time to attend) and will prioritize the billable hour at all costs. This is why a bunch us want to talk about how to improve mental health in biglaw. What is your objection to that?

Same here. 4th year. No issues prior to law, but definitely have been pretty affected.

It's silly to say that biglaw only exacerbates existing mental health problems. It can and does create them. Not going to rehash but the law student earlier in this thread thinking they know anything is dumb as all hell.

Also a fourth-year and agree 100%. This job definitely affects your mental health. I billed 700+ hours Oct-Dec 2020 and that was brutal. Then. Only billed about 300 in Jan-Apr 2021 and that was difficult for different reasons (am I getting fired, is my work product bad, etc.) But I’ve finally reached a point that the don’t give a damn. I don’t need the job anymore.

I will also say that I’ve noticed a change in my own personality while practicing. I would say that I don’t find things as enjoyable as I once did. I don’t know if I would say that it’s more difficult to be happy, but I would say my level of happiness is more muted than before if that makes sense. I blame that on the job.

I don’t know if this person committed suicide or not, but there have been other past examples where it has happened (associate at Dechert who OD’d; Partner at Freshfields who jumped off a building in DC). I’m not saying the biglaw environment drove those people to their actions, but I am sure it didn’t help them at all.

[Anonymous User]

Similar to poster above corporate fourth year who had miserable Nov. to Dec. slow Jan. then fine spring.

I too used to enjoy the job, I actually liked my work (credit to partners who gave me early big drafting experience and deal mgmt roles) and now I just feel so empty. It’s just now deal after deal after deal. Nothing special. Nothing exciting. Don’t care anymore. My work product is fine but I definitely am not the ambitious high performer kind of midlevel associate that earned me my goodwill.