Practicing law is a rewarding career that offers a comfortable living and an opportunity to help people in need. But it is also very stressful. It is so stressful, in fact, that mental health professionals are increasingly concerned about the legal profession. One way to help reduce that stress of practicing law is to invest in a new case management application for the busy practice.

Software alone will not completely eliminate stress in the law office. But combined with other strategies designed to put practicing law in the proper perspective, a good case management app like NuLaw really can go a long way toward improving attorney mental health.

For a little bit of perspective, consider a study prepared through a joint effort between the American Bar Association and the Hazelton Betty Ford Foundation. The study revealed some surprising numbers among practicing attorneys:

• 28% struggle with depression
• 21% admit to being problem drinkers
• 19% display symptoms of anxiety.

The study went on to demonstrate that stress is greatest among attorneys during the first 10 years of practice. Could it be that those younger attorneys are shouldering a larger share of the load, putting more of the stress on them?

Streamlining Case Management

Much of the stress that comes with practicing law is directly related to case management. If attorneys could focus simply on litigation while case management and matter management took care of themselves, perhaps they wouldn’t be as stressed. Unfortunately, that’s not possible. Case and matter management go hand-in-hand with running a law firm.

Better tools to streamline both can go a long way toward making things better. A case management app with built-in marketing tools that automatically delivers qualified cases right to the attorney’s office would take some of the marketing stress off of young attorneys. An app with built-in intake consultation would address some of the more challenging financial aspects of legal practice.

It turns out that NuLaw is a case management application that does both – and a whole lot more. Because NuLaw is built on the Salesforce CRM platform, it is designed to facilitate managing every case from first contact through resolution using both technology and automation to make running a law firm as streamlined and efficient as possible.

Reducing Stress in Other Ways

NuLaw is an excellent case management application we believe every law firm should take a look at. But we acknowledge that it cannot, in and of itself, completely eliminate the stress that so many attorneys are now under. So we encourage attorneys to heed the advice of mental professionals.

That advice includes a long list of things that attorneys can do to reduce stress. For example, mental health experts recommend talking to others about stressful things. The simple act of speaking and letting out all the frustrations is quite therapeutic. A stressed-out attorney can speak to colleagues, friends, or even mental health professionals.

Next, attorneys are encouraged to manage whatever stress they do experience by putting it in its proper perspective. They need to specifically make time for themselves and their families – time away from the office and disconnected from it. They should be spending time on interests and passions outside of law. They need to eat right, get plenty of rest, and exercise.

Stress among attorneys is a very real thing. It is also quite concerning now that we have data showing just how serious it is. We invite your firm to take a look at NuLaw as a tool to better manage your practice and alleviate some of the stress your attorneys are under.