Virginia Lawyers’ Wellness Initiative

About

The Virginia Lawyers’ Wellness Initiative coordinates the education of, and assistance to, judges, lawyers, magistrates, law students, and other legal professionals within the judicial system, regarding professional health and wellness initiatives, with a specific focus on improving mental health and addressing substance abuse in the legal profession. 

Contact Information

• Wellness Coordinator: Hetal M. Challa
  Email: hchalla@vacourts.gov
  Phone - (804) 317-7861

Resources and Reference Materials

Wellness Initiative Reports

• A Profession at Risk
  The Report of the Committee on Lawyer Well-Being of the Supreme Court of Virginia, which contains recommendations for the structure, funding, and priorities of the Virginia Lawyers’ Wellness Initiative.
• The Occupational Risks of the Practice of Law
  The Report of the Virginia State Bar President’s Special Committee on Lawyer Well-Being examines twenty risks unique to the legal profession (including physical, mental & emotional, adaptation, and self-actualization risks) and includes practice pointers for individuals and organizations to ameliorate these risks.
• The Occupational Risks of the Practice of Law Updated
  The Report adopted a novel structure by sorting the risks into four categories and presenting them in a digestible matrix format followed by more in-depth discussions of each risk and how individuals and organizations can combat them.
• The Path to Lawyer Well-Being: Practical Recommendations for Positive Change
  This report, from the National Task Force on Lawyer Well-Being, served as the genesis for the Supreme Court of Virginia report.  It includes national statistics on the lack of well-being in the legal profession and offers concrete, actionable recommendations to improve this issue.

Continuing Education and Other Resources

• Additional Resources from the Virginia State Bar
• Virginia CLE Wellness in the Legal Profession Courses
  Virginia CLE® offers Wellness courses developed in response to the efforts of the Supreme Court of Virginia and the Virginia Lawyers’ Wellness Initiative, and approved for MCLE credit by the Virginia State Bar.