How many lawyers are depressed?
Asked by: Elsie Watsica III | Last update: June 13, 2025Score: 4.4/5 (47 votes)
A nationwide study of ~13,000 lawyers indicated that 28% experienced depression, 19% reported anxiety, 21% had alcohol use problems, and 11% had problems with drug use [3].
What percentage of lawyers have depression?
Studies regarding lawyer depression
It found that 28% of lawyers experience depression, and 19% suffer from anxiety.
What percentage of lawyers are happy?
64% of lawyers with 8+ years in practice report an overall job satisfaction of 7 or higher.
Can you be a lawyer if you have depression?
Absolutely. Your diagnoses do not have to keep you from fulfilling your goals and dreams. Since being a lawyer could be a very stressful job, the important thing would be to have a plan in place to maintain a work-life balance such as seeing a therapist, keeping a journal, and leaving work at work as often as possible.
What percent of lawyers make $500,000?
According to the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median annual pay for lawyers in 2022 was $135,740, with only the top 1% surpassing the $500,000 mark.
Why Are Lawyers More Likely to Become Depressed?
How rich is the average lawyer?
In general, the five highest-paying states for lawyers are as follows: California ($201,530) Massachusetts ($196,230) New York ($188,900)
Can lawyers make 7 figures?
Corporate Lawyer (Partner)
Though that's far from pocket change, it's certainly not landing you in the earnings tier of a millionaire. That said, corporate lawyers generally stand to make the most and can pull in seven figures a year — if they make partner.
Is being a lawyer mentally draining?
Attorneys don't need to be told that they work in a high-stress environment and are prone to burning out. Lawyers are subject to significant emotional burden, with international research highlighting their susceptibility to psychological issues such as depression, anxiety, addiction, and — shockingly — even suicide.
Is depression legally a disability?
Yes. People with depression are protected under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). The ADA defines a person with a disability as anyone who: Has a physical or mental health problem that “substantially limits” at least one major life activity — this could be working or taking care of yourself.
Can I be a lawyer with OCD?
While OCD can make even the simplest tasks intensely frustrating and time consuming, some attorneys with the disorder are able to keep it from overtaking their professional lives and have even found some benefits among the frustration and pain.
What personality do most lawyers have?
Daicoff (2004) found that lawyers as a group have a slight tendency towards introversion, intuition, and judging (over extroversion, sensing, and perceiving). Furthermore, there is an overwhelming tendency to thinking over feeling. One study found that 75% of lawyers exhibit the thinking preference.
Are lawyers becoming oversaturated?
Law School Myth 5:
The job market for lawyers is oversaturated. While it is true that there are more law school graduates than there are jobs available in some markets, the job market for lawyers is actually quite strong overall.
How many lawyers are introverts?
“One of my junior associates is just not getting it. In team meetings, they just sit there and never have much to say.” Here's something I share with lawyers nearly every day: 60% of lawyers, or just about, are introverts. This is the exact inverse of America as a whole, where about the same percentage are extroverts.
What is the burnout rate for lawyers?
Law.com's midlevel associate survey from August 2019 revealed that burnout was a growing concern even pre-pandemic. More recently, the Bloomberg Law Workload and Hours Survey showed that lawyers reported feeling burned out an average of 44%-52% of the time over the span of the survey.
Is being a lawyer high stress?
While lawyers might benefit from having an elite reputation and plenty of cash in the bank, it can also be incredibly stressful. Many attorneys grapple with long hours, difficult clients, and ever-increasing demands daily.
Will I lose my job if I go to a mental hospital?
Understanding the Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA)
This law is known as the Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA). The ADA is a federal law that prevents employees from being fired due to discrimination against disabilities, which includes mental illness.
Is depression neurodivergent?
While depression is not traditionally classified as a neurodivergent condition, it does involve neurological processes and brain function changes. In that sense, it could be viewed from a neurodivergent perspective, as it involves a divergence from what is considered typical brain functioning.
What is the hardest thing for a lawyer?
- Outsourcing. ...
- Law school debt. ...
- Establishing a reputation. ...
- Debate. ...
- Long hours. ...
- Challenging clients. ...
- Work-life balance. ...
- Occupational stress. Occupational stress refers to the sum of all challenges that a lawyer may face during their career.
Will I be poor as a lawyer?
Lucrative career
Lawyers have the ability to earn a generous income. They make a national average salary of $50,979 per year . Though you may not earn this income as a new lawyer, you can work your way toward this salary with enough hard work and experience.
Do a lot of lawyers drink?
Younger lawyers and those who are newer to their positions have the highest rates of excessive drinking. Lawyers under 30 years-old had the highest drinking rates (32.3%), followed by those between 31 and 40 years-old (26.1%), with rates on a steady decline as lawyers aged. Stressed? Drink.
How many millionaires are lawyers?
My math says 0.3%-0.35%. There are 4100 biglaw attorneys who rake in a million a year or more, which is 0.31% of all attorneys; the 100 highest paid GCs average $2.7 million per year, and there are easily just as many solo or small-firm attorneys who also make that much.
Do lawyers make 200k a year?
The median starting salary is $215,000 in 11 cities and geographic areas. They are Austin, Texas; Boston; Chicago; Dallas; Houston; Los Angeles/Orange County, California; New York City; San Diego; San Francisco; Silicon Valley in California; and the Washington, D.C., area.