The Standing Committee on Lawyer Well-Being joins the Institute for Well-Being in Law to celebrate Well-Being Week in Law, May 5-9, 2025, as part of Mental Health Awareness Month in May. We invite you to coordinate or participate in local activities, whether you’re an individual, law firm, corporate legal department, government entity, bar association, law school, or other organization or consultant involved in the legal profession.

Visit this page for a master listing of all events, programs, and activities happening across Massachusetts.

**All events are free and open to all.

National Resources: https://lawyerwellbeing.net/well-being-week-in-law.

Stay tuned for more details and registration information.

Explore last year’s events and watch the 2024 keynote here.

THURSDAY (5/1): KEYNOTE EVENT

  • 5:00 PM–7:00 PM: TBD (Hosted by the SJC Standing Committee on Lawyer Well-Being and the Massachusetts Bar Association)

MONDAY (5/5): Physical Well-Being

*SPECIAL DISCOUNT: Massachusetts Lawyers receive a 50% discount on race tickets for Spartan Races in North America, including two races in Massachusetts in August and November, https://www.spartan.com. Use code: MASSLAWYER

  • 9:00 AM-9:30 AM: Dr. Meyers Guided Mindfulness (Hosted by Lawyers Concerned for Lawyers and Mindfulness in Law Society).

    Please join Dr. Tracey Meyers, staff clinician at Lawyers Concerned for Lawyers, for a guided mindfulness session tailored for attorneys to enhance their well-being and focus and support emotion regulation. Dr. Meyers will also provide a brief overview of how to start a mindfulness practice or continue to build on an existing one to manage the stressful demands of the legal profession along with a brief overview of how mindfulness can support mental and physical health. This practice will help you cultivate a sense of calm, improve your concentration, and foster resilience against daily stressors. Mindfulness practices can be portable tools to use not only in your personal space but also in brief moments throughout your workday, whether before entering the courtroom or during a pause between meetings.

  • 12:00 PM-1:00 PM: WWIL 2025 Kickoff: Boosting Well-Being With Connection (Hosted by the Institute for Well-Being in Law).

    Dr. Anne Brafford and Tara Antonipillai, the Well-Being Week in Law Co-Chairs, will kick off WWIL 2025
    with an engaging session that explains this year’s theme and leads activities to bring it to life. More information
    coming soon! This year, we have general registration. When you register for Well-Being Week in Law, you’ll have access to the online event platform where all webinars will be available. Register for WWIL.

  • 1:30 PM-5:30 PM: Moving Together: Exploring Connection Through Movement, Exercise, & Dance (Hosted by the Institute for Well-Being in Law).

    Kick off Well-Being Week in Law 2025 with energizing and interactive experiences that highlight the power of moving together. Physical activity is well known for boosting mood, improving cognitive function, and reducing symptoms of depression and anxiety. But when we move in sync with others—whether through dance, exercise, or even a simple walk—it strengthens our sense of connection and belonging. Shared movement has been shown to release neurochemicals that enhance social bonding, reduce stress, and even lower pain levels.

    The Moving Together program offers multiple expert-led movement sessions, so you can participate in whatever feels right for you. No experience is needed, and you’re welcome to turn your camera off if you prefer.

    Choose from the following sessions:

    1:30 PM ET: Yoga (tentative)

    2:00 PM ET: Seated Boxing Workout – George Zakhary, Sit Grit

    3:00 PM ET: Community Mindful Walk (Tentative)

    3:30 PM ET: Qi Gong (Tentative)

    4:30 PM ET: Ballet for Well-Being – Anna Wassman-Cox, Onco-Ballet Foundation

    Join us and experience firsthand how moving together can strengthen both body and mind!

    CLE credit will not be available for these sessions.

    This year, we have general registration. When you register for Well-Being Week in Law, you’ll have access to the online event platform where all webinars will be available. Register for WWIL.

TUESDAY (5/6): Spiritual Well-Being

  • 12:00 PM-1:30 PM: Topic TBA (Hosted by the Boston Bar Association).

  • 12:00 PM-1:00 PM: Fireside Chat: Practicing in Recovery (Hosted by the Institute for Well-Being in Law).

    Speakers:
    James D. Lawrence, Partner, BCLP
    Casey L. Miller, Associate, Dechert
    Steven R. Wall, Global Managing Partner, Morgan Lewis

    Join us for an insightful and candid conversation with a distinguished panel of legal professionals who have
    successfully navigated their careers while embracing the journey of recovery. Our panelists will share their
    personal stories, challenges, and triumphs.

    In addition to discussing the resilience and self-awareness that recovery fosters, the panelists will offer practical advice for those currently practicing law in recovery. We will also explore insights from recent IWIL research on long-term recovery in the legal profession, shedding light on key factors that support sustained well-being.

    As part of the discussion, panelists will reflect on this year’s Well-Being Week in Law theme of
    connection—examining how social support, community, and professional networks play a critical role in
    recovery and long-term success in the legal field.

    Through this open dialogue, attendees will gain a deeper understanding of the impact of recovery on career
    progression, strategies for cultivating a supportive work environment, and evidence-based guidance on
    maintaining well-being while practicing law.

    We will apply for CLE credits, which will be dependent on individual states MCLE requirements.

    This year, we have general registration. When you register for Well-Being Week in Law, you’ll have access to the online event platform where all webinars will be available. Register for WWIL.

WEDNESDAY (5/7): Career and Intellectual Well-Being

  • 12:30 PM-1:30 PM: The Power of Us: Uniting the Legal Community in Turbulent Times (Hosted by the Institute for Well-Being in Law).

    More details coming soon.

    This year, we have general registration. When you register for Well-Being Week in Law, you’ll have access to the online event platform where all webinars will be available. Register for WWIL.

THURSDAY (5/8): Social Well-Being

  • 9:00am-10:00am: Community Connections Breakfast (Hosted by the Boston Bar Association).

FRIDAY (5/9): Emotional Well-Being

  • 12:00pm- 1:00pm: Polyvagal Theory in Lawyering: Cultivating Support for Ethical Decision Making (Hosted by Lawyers Concerned for Lawyers)

This is the second presentation of a two-part series. The first presentation was held in February 2025 entitled “What is Polyvagal Theory? Applications for Navigating Stress & Resilience in the Legal Profession” which provides a helpful a foundation to continue this conversation.

This latest session is designed to provide legal professionals with valuable insights into how understanding and applying Polyvagal Theory can enrich their professional skills, promote integrity and resilience in their legal practice.  

Polyvagal Theory, developed by scientist and researcher Dr. Stephen Porges, revolutionizes our understanding of the autonomic nervous system by highlighting how its three key branches—ventral vagal, sympathetic, and dorsal vagal—affect our responses to stress, safety, and social engagement. This presentation provides insights into how our physiological states influence emotional regulation and interpersonal connections which can significantly impact a lawyer’s ability to handle challenging situations in professional and personal settings.  

Dr. Tracey Meyers and Stacey Best, Esq. will:

  • Provide a brief overview of polyvagal theory and how the autonomic nervous system influences stress, resilience, and social engagement which is crucial for legal professionals.

  • Provide a fresh framework through which lawyers can better understand or achieve best ethical practices.

  • Talk about supports to enable lawyers to enhance resilience through a deeper understanding of the nervous system and polyvagal theory.