Ending the Stigma: Mental Health in Law

Mental health and addiction challenges are deeply prevalent — yet still heavily stigmatized — within the legal profession. The Right Not to Remain Silent: The Truth About Mental Health in the Legal Profession is a groundbreaking collection of memoirs by lawyers and legal professionals who have lived these experiences. More than a book about struggle, it is a testament to courage, resilience, and the power of inclusion.

In this online CPD program, authors Michael Ferguson, Yadesha Satheaswaran and Courtney Wilson join moderator Beth Beattie to share their stories and reflect on the systemic and cultural barriers that make it difficult for legal professionals to speak openly about mental health. The panel will explore how stigma, silence, and traditional notions of professionalism intersect with power, privilege, and unconscious bias — often excluding or marginalizing those most in need of support.

This conversation will also focus on pathways to healing, recovery, and reintegration, while offering practical strategies for creating psychologically safe and inclusive legal workplaces. Participants will be challenged to reflect on how legal culture can evolve to support the full participation of all professionals, including those living with mental health issues. 

This session qualifies for 1-hour EDI Professionalism by exploring mental health as a diversity and inclusion issue, examining how legal culture contributes to exclusion, and identifying actionable strategies to promote equity and belonging.

Discussion Themes Will Include:

• The impact of untreated mental health challenges in the legal profession
• Mental health as essential components of workplace inclusion
• How stigma, bias, and professional culture contribute to marginalization
• Strategies for fostering openness, safety, and psychological support
• Shifting legal culture to enable recovery, reintegration, and resilience
• Building a more compassionate, inclusive, and sustainable profession

More than a discussion of problems, this session is ultimately about hope — showcasing how honesty, connection, and community can lead to both personal recovery and systemic change.