About Us

The OCBA Lawyer Well-Being Committee was formed in 2017 to provide our fellow OCBA members with resources, education, and support to members regarding mental, emotional, and physical health issues, including disabilities, serious illnesses, substance abuse, and general well-being.

The Rules of Professional Conduct, Rule 1.1 (b) states that, “For purposes of this rule, “competence” in any legal service shall mean to apply the (i) learning and skill, and (ii) mental, emotional and physical ability reasonably* necessary for the performance of such service.” We attorneys, therefore, have an ethical obligation to take care of ourselves so that we can provide competent representation for our clients.

Being a lawyer is stressful under the best of circumstances. Over time, continued strain on your body from stress can contribute to serious health problems such as heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes and other illnesses including mental health disorders such as depression and anxiety. We all know that substance abuse and suicide rates among lawyers are among the highest. We must incorporate ways to manage our stress into our daily routines so that we can be at our peak performance and provide outstanding representation. Healthy habits lead to increased clarity and greater productivity which leads to greater success for us and our clients.

The Lawyer Well-Being Committee is intended to be a resource for the Orange County Legal Community. We are here to provide you with educational programs and resources. We encourage you to reach out to us on behalf of your section, affiliate bar association, law firm, county office, or court staff. We are here to serve you.

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