Am Law Profiles Akin Gump’s On-Site Counseling Services for Lawyers and Staff

The American Lawyer, in its article “Akin Gump Adds On-Site Counseling as Firms Fret Over Mental Health,” profiled the firm’s efforts to prioritize the mental and emotional well-being of its lawyers and staff with the addition of a new on-site behavioral assistance counselor. The program began last month with the counselor spending one day a week at the firm’s Washington, D.C., office.

Akin Gump chief operating officer Sally King said the pilot program is aimed at producing a stronger and more resilient workforce, and she anticipates it will expand to the rest of the firm by next year. “I think it was a called-for resource and we responded to the call, and we’ve been very pleased with the uptake of it,” she said.

King added that mental and emotional health are issues “not just for our firm but for the industry, and [we want to] be as transparent about this as we are about everything else.” Several factors led to the move, beginning with the suicide of a firm counsel in 2013 as well as other mental health problems across the industry.

The article noted that Akin Gump’s effort to improve mental and emotional wellness is part of a larger program, known as “Be Well,” which the firm created in 2016. Meg Meserole, the firm’s chief human resources officer, said Akin Gump is making wellness a top priority, giving lawyers and staff “wellness points” for participating in activities such as health screenings, retirement planning seminars, charity walks and other events. The program also provides benefits ranging from refinancing student loan debt to elder care assistance and parenting benefits.

Akin Gump expanded the “Be Well” program to its international offices last year and has since taken steps to incorporate spouses of U.S. lawyers and staff.