The Association of Corporate Counsel (ACC), the premier global legal association for in-house counsel, today launched the ACC Well-being Toolkit for In-house Lawyers. It offers practical strategies for in-house lawyers to support their well-being and foster wellness within their team and their organization.
The toolkit features resources and feedback from ACC members internationally and the American Counseling Association (ACA) on core aspects of well-being, such as work-life balance, time management, seeking help when needed, and leading with a focus on others’ well-being.
In-house counsel globally are often under significant pressure and stress as they help their organizations navigate an increasingly complicated corporate landscape. In fact, the International Bar Association’s Wellbeing taskforce found that “one in three lawyers around the world found their work to have a negative or extremely negative impact on their well-being.” Beyond the legal department, employees’ well-being is also an important factor in companies’ employee retention.
“A consistent, comprehensive focus on well-being and mental health for in-house professionals, and all employees, has never been more important,” said Veta T. Richardson, president & CEO of ACC. “ACC’s new Well-being Toolkit provides practical strategies to help address one of the most pressing issues in the world of work today: burnout. I thank the ACC members and the American Counseling Association for contributing and helping support the in-house community around the world.”
“The demands of a fast-paced, high-stress job can take a serious toll on our mental health. I applaud ACC for creating this valuable resource for its members to help lawyers prioritize their self-care and mental well-being,” said Shawn E. Boynes, FASAE, CAE, CEO of ACA. “ACA’s mission is to advance mental health and well-being through advocacy, community, inclusion and research. We were thrilled to provide expert input and partner with ACC on the development of this toolkit, which aligns with what’s important to counselors who provide mental-health support to a broad variety of people.”
Through a series of five checklists, ACC members can unlock strategies for boosting their work-life balance, self-care techniques, and time management; for seeking help in rough times and helping others to do so; for overcoming adversity, crises, and failure; and for leading an effective team and supporting the well-being of others.