By Karen Munoz
U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy issued a report in May 2023 declaring an epidemic of loneliness in the country, highlighting its detrimental impact on physical, mental, and emotional well-being.1
Lawyers, and in particular, minority attorneys, may feel a high level of loneliness. Recent studies indicate that minority lawyers disproportionally experience isolation and disconnection in the practice.2 Also concerning is the data that shows that the legal profession continues to remain one of the least-diverse professions.3
Black lawyers make up approximately 5% of legal professionals in the U.S., while Latinos comprise 6%. Both remain underrepresented compared with their share of the general population.4 This lack of diversity can intensify at higher levels within law firms.
The Loneliness Epidemic Preceded the Pandemic
While the pandemic undoubtedly exacerbated feelings of loneliness, studies indicate that lawyers had been experiencing a sense of isolation well before COVID-19. An American Bar Association-conducted study prior to the pandemic found lawyers to be ranked the loneliest professionals—above doctors and engineers. Notably, the study also found that male attorneys who experience high levels of loneliness are three times as likely to have suicidal thoughts, which is a considerable and alarming finding.5
Also notable was the nearly 31% of Black lawyers who have contemplated suicide during their legal careers, according to The American Lawyer’s 2021 mental health and substance abuse study.6
What is driving these high levels of loneliness and distress? Why are minority lawyers more vulnerable to its impact? For one, practices once thought unimaginable, like completing law school virtually or conducting entire trials online, are more common, sidelining opportunities to collaborate in person. Many colleagues said their work environment in 2023 involved being mostly at a computer, whether attending court hearings, continuing legal education programs, legal events, and even social gatherings.
In recent years, these changes in the legal profession have likely contributed to this ongoing sense of isolation. However, for minority lawyers, particularly those who have found themselves at law firms and other environments where they are underrepresented, this is nothing new. The pandemic’s shift to more digital work may have made it even more challenging for minority lawyers to build connections and to feel a sense of belonging when faced with a lack of peers with shared experiences. A cursory examination of the makeup of law firm partnerships reveals that women of color make up under 4% of partnerships in law firms.7
Layers of Loneliness in the Legal Profession
For many minority lawyers, the sense of isolation can find its roots in the lack of representation and a struggle to find mentors and colleagues who share similar cultural backgrounds and experiences.8
How can lawyers feel truly connected when their diverse experiences and identities are not adequately represented? This lack of representation hinders the ability to forge meaningful connections and reinforces the isolation a minority lawyer may face. While diversity efforts have been ongoing for decades throughout the legal profession, they have resulted in nowhere near adequate representation of the communities we live and work in. For lawyers of color, this stark lack of diversity undermines a sense of belonging in the profession. While loneliness is affecting the legal profession as a whole, we can’t ignore that some lawyers will experience it, along with depression and anxiety, more intensely than others.
In addition, the legal profession may lean toward isolation because of how lawyers have been conditioned through law school and the workplace. There is an innate resolve to push through, to keep going, leading to a silent struggle. The legal profession has traditionally been a guarded environment, with a stigma surrounding open discussion of professional challenges and fears.
Despite efforts to move toward a more understanding environment, lawyers may fear harm to their reputation. There might be a hesitation to show any vulnerability as it may affect the image others hold of us or that we hold of ourselves.
Primal Need to Connect in Our Work Life
Studies have shown that we need to connect, to be a part of community, and to be engaged with others with whom we share things.9 Humans are social beings, instinctively building tribes to optimize survival. While we obviously do not need to band together to protect ourselves from bears or tigers, our brains are still driven by a need for safety and connection. Our connections are often what provide us with a sense of safety and support. Surrounded by others, we are less stressed, more satisfied in life, and able to do our work with less depression and anxiety. That is because there is comfort in knowing someone else knows us and understands us. This is why support groups and group therapy are so effective in providing a path for understanding connection, and learning. We also often learn to model our behaviors, thoughts and actions by those around or closest to us. We learn by observing and asking questions.
Many of those opportunities to learn about each other declined during the pandemic when we were forced into isolation. Once we began to return to our workspaces, we noticed that something had changed in our work life. Working remotely or in a hybrid environment became standard workplace practice. Many new lawyers may never have—or hardly ever—set foot in their office space. Some employers have significantly limited their spaces or eliminated offices all together.
What We’ve Forgotten
For months after returning to work, I learned of awkward social encounters between coworkers. Countless times, I heard, “It’s like I forgot how to have a conversation.” Perhaps the longer we were apart, the easier it became to stop communicating in person and rely more and more on texting, emails, and digital media. Are we a lonelier profession because we bear so much weight in silence? How do the nature of the work and the environment contribute to loneliness? Do we fear being judged or perceived as weak if we admit our need for connection or acknowledge our struggles? Or have we become so focused on performing and excelling at our jobs that we’ve stopped prioritizing relationships?
For minority and diverse lawyers, these challenges can be even more pronounced and impact lawyer mental health, as the lack of representation and mentors who share similar cultural backgrounds can intensify feelings of isolation. The answers are complex and multifaceted. Research and anecdotal evidence tell us that individuals need to feel connected and supported to thrive.10
Low levels of social interaction can affect a lawyer’s sense of connection and well-being, as connection to others is essential for psychological health. It’s clear that fostering meaningful connections and providing a supportive environment are crucial for well-being and success in the legal profession. We need to ask ourselves:
- What can be done?
- How can lawyers contribute to feeling less isolated?
- How can workplaces support their employees so they can thrive?
- How do we make our workspaces more inclusive so isolation and feelings of disconnect are lessened for minority professionals?
Reconnecting in a Work Environment
As we explore how lawyers came to feel isolated, we must recognize that building meaningful connections with others is one of the most important things we can do. Our growth and well-being depend on it. The relationships we form contribute to our all-around well-being and happiness. They allow us to grow as human beings and become introduced to areas and interests we may not have thought of on our own.
Acknowledging that we are indeed in a loneliness epidemic drives the motivation for change. On an individual level, we can try each day to spend a few minutes checking in with each other. It can be another colleague, a supervisor, or a mentor. Building relationships and maintaining them take time, but relationships are vitally important for our health. Just like a plant shrivels and dies without water or light, so we, too, shrivel without relationships. And when we water our own relationships, the benefits extend to those we reach out to.
It is never too late to make new friends. We all have the power to mentor or be mentored, as teaching and learning are lifelong practices and are powerful ways to connect to others. And we will feel good about the contributions cultivated in these spaces. Join a group that shares a hobby or goal in line with your values and interests. Most bar associations, such as the ISBA, Chicago Bar Association, Women’s Bar Association of Illinois, Cook County Bar Association, and Hispanic Lawyers of Illinois—to name a few—have several programs such as book clubs, mentorship opportunities, walking groups, tutoring, and fitness events that bring lawyers together.
Another strong resource is the Illinois Lawyers’ Assistance Program (LAP), which provides free and confidential assistance to lawyers, judges, and law students who are struggling with mental health and substance abuse issues. Feelings of isolation and loneliness are frequent sources of concern among lawyers. Finding support is instrumental when combatting feeling alone and isolated.
On a professional level, communication is key. Creating a space where employees feel they can seek support and receive help, whether this concerns a case matter or practice area where the lawyer is struggling. Knowing that the workplace is set up to engage with employees can be incredibly helpful. Conversely, an environment where discussion is shunned or discouraged will only lead to dissatisfaction, burnout, and toxicity. Employers should invest time and resources in building collaborative office cultures and modeling active listening, mentorship, and guidance.
Creating Inclusivity in the Legal Profession
For minority and diverse lawyers who face additional barriers, including a lack of representation, and mentors who understand their unique experiences, such support is critical. By fostering an inclusive workplace where minority lawyers feel seen, heard, and valued, firms can help mitigate the sense of isolation and promote a more supportive and connected work environment. Employers can focus on creating:
- Culturally competent mentorship programs.
- Clear pathways to career advancement.
- Inclusive spaces where all lawyers can network, connect, or collaborate.
As we continue to address loneliness and its impact on lawyers, we can all do our part by reaching out to a colleague and catching up, joining a mentorship program, and supporting someone facing challenges.
By actively creating a culture of inclusivity and open communication, we can ensure that all lawyers, especially those from underrepresented groups, feel supported and empowered in their professional journeys. Our struggles to feel connected are normal. They’re a natural part of the human experience, especially in a demanding profession like law. The pressures of the legal profession, coupled with its often-competitive and high-stakes environments, can exacerbate feelings of isolation and disconnection. Being aware of how loneliness and isolation may affect minority and diverse lawyers and implementing long-term strategies to support them will create healthier work environments for all.
The less lonely a minority or diverse attorney feels, the more likely they will remain with the firm, advance in their careers, and contribute to their employers’ success. As diversity grows, so does a professional community’s sense of connection. However, remember that these challenges are not unique to any one person. Lawyers, like all professionals, face moments of doubt, stress, and loneliness. Recognizing that our struggles are shared can empower us to seek the support we need and, in turn, offer support to others. By doing so, we not only enhance our well-being but also strengthen the bonds that make the legal profession resilient.
Karen Munoz is a plaintiff’s personal injury attorney at Dolan Law representing survivors of traumatic injuries and events.
[email protected]
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1. Vivek H. Murthy, Our Epidemic of Loneliness and Isolation: The U.S. Surgeon General’s Advisory on the Healing Effects of Social Connection and Community (May 3, 2023), law.isba.org/4hgk93J.
2. Kaisar Perry, Being Visibly Invisible: How Legal Professionals From Marginalized Communities Uniquely Experience Workplace Loneliness, Institute of Well-Being in Law, law.isba.org/3C28t1p.
3. Deborah Rhode, Law Is the Least Diverse Profession in the Nation. And Lawyers Aren’t Doing Enough to Change That, Washington Post (May 27, 2015), law.isba.org/48kjlUs.
4. American Bar Association, Demographics, law.isba.org/3C0NrjO.
5. Debra Cassens Weiss, Lawyers Rank Highest on ‘Loneliness Scale,’ Study Finds, ABA Journal (Apr. 3, 2018), law.isba.org/3NGMYG6.
6. Dylan Jackson, Legal Professionals Were Already Struggling With Stress and Isolation, and the Pandemic Has Made Things Much Worse, The American Lawyer (May 3, 2021), law.isba.org/3ApvPgO.
7. Nat. Ass’n Legal Placement, Representation of Women and People of Color in U.S. Law Firms in 2020 (June 2021), nalp.org/0621research.
8. Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court Standing Committee on Lawyer Well-Being, Report Summarizing Affinity Bar Town Hall Meetings (Feb. 4, 2021), law.isba.org/4fg2zYO.
9. David Rock, We All Need to Stay Connected to One Another—Here’s How Science Says To Do It, Forbes (Mar. 27, 2020), law.isba.org/3BW8VOx.
10. Id.
ISBA Resources
Illinois Lawyers’ Assistance Program, LAP and Well-Being columns, Illinois Bar Journal, law.isba.org/IBJ_LAP.
Junaid Afeef, Welcome the Stranger, 111 Ill. B.J. 36 (Nov. 2023), law.isba.org/40gmPnO.
Karen Erger, When You’re a Lonely Only, 111 Ill. B.J. 48 (Aug. 2023), law.isba.org/3qTOkFx.