Fighting the Zombie-Lawyer Apocalypse

An interview with Prof. Peter Huang

Recent studies have suggested that lawyers are particularly prone to depression, anxiety, and stress, but are lawyers becoming zombies? According to Professor Peter Huang (who co-authored an article of similar title), the plight of the profession presents interesting parallels to the concept of “zombification,” with lawyers and law students mindlessly reacting to stress. Prof. Huang discusses these parallels, the role of stress reduction strategies such as mindfulness, and how the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted attorney mental health. Peter also presents some ways in which the legal profession and law schools can begin to improve attorney well being… perhaps avoiding the zombie apocalypse entirely.

APPROVED FOR:
AZ: Professional Responsibility : 0.5
CA: Competence Issues : 0.5
CT: Ethics and Professionalism : 0.5
IL: Mental Health/Substance Abuse : 0.5
NY: Ethics and Professionalism : 0.5

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Recent studies have suggested that lawyers are particularly prone to depression, anxiety, and stress, but are lawyers becoming zombies? According to Professor Peter Huang (who co-authored an article of similar title), the plight of the profession presents interesting parallels to the concept of “zombification,” with lawyers and law students mindlessly reacting to stress. Prof. Huang discusses these parallels, the role of stress reduction strategies such as mindfulness, and how the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted attorney mental health. Peter also presents some ways in which the legal profession and law schools can begin to improve attorney well being… perhaps avoiding the zombie apocalypse entirely.

APPROVED FOR:
AZ: Professional Responsibility : 0.5
CA: Competence Issues : 0.5
CT: Ethics and Professionalism : 0.5
IL: Mental Health/Substance Abuse : 0.5
NY: Ethics and Professionalism : 0.5

TAGS:

DOWNLOAD WRITTEN MATERIAL

33

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Additional Resources

Interviews Discussed

A Mindful Practice an interview with Prof Nathalie Martin

Articles Discussed

Lawyer Zombie Apocalypse by Peter Huang and Corie Rosen Felder
Can Saints Negotiate? A Brief Introduction to the Problems of Perfect Ethics in Bargaining by Scott Peppet
Lawyers as Agents of the Devil in a Prisoner’s Dilemma Game by Orley Ashenfelter and David Bloom
Lawyering from the Inside Out: Learning Professional Development through Mindfulness and Emotional Intelligence by Nathalie Martin
The Prevalence and Effects of Loneliness in the General Population, Lawyer Well-being, and a Survey of Law Students by Olivia Ash
Pandemic Emotions: The Good, The Bad, and The Unconscious —Implications for Public Health, Financial Economics, Law, and Leadership by Peter Huang
Attending: Medicine, Mindfulness, and Humanity by Dr. Ronald Epstein

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