Research

The CBA Well-being Subcommittee is committed to staying on top of the issues that matter to you. From time to time, we conduct research into all aspects of mental health and wellness in the legal profession. Recent research projects include:

NATIONAL STUDY ON WELLNESS

Findings from the first comprehensive national study of its kind paint an alarming picture of the wellness of Canadian legal professionals. The study fills a critical gap in the knowledge about the mental health of legal professionals. Read the Report.

INTERNATIONAL REPORT

The CBA was part of a taskforce created by the International Bar Association to develop a report on Mental Wellbeing in the Legal Profession: A Global Study.  This report was published in 2022. 

SURVEY OF LAWYERS ON WELLNESS ISSUES

We commissioned Ipsos Reid to survey CBA members, including lawyers, judges and law students about mental health and wellness issues in 2012. The Lawyers on Wellness Issues survey reports on the:

  • General state of health and wellness of legal professionals
  • Prevalence of health and wellness issues among legal professionals
  • Attitudes and behaviours related to seeking help for wellness issues

SURVEY OF MEMBERS IN RURAL, REMOTE AND ISOLATED COMMUNITIES

As part of a national project on health and wellness programs for lawyers, judges and law students in rural, remote and isolated communities, we hired Vision Research to conduct this Members in Rural, Remote and Isolated Communities survey in 2012. Its goal was to assess how the Legal Profession Assistance Conference (now CBA Wellness) and the Lawyer Assistance Programs provide professional support and assistance that meets the specific needs of these members and their families.

MENTAL HEALTH TASK FORCE REPORT

In 2011, the CBA's Mental Health Task Force looked at how Lawyer Assistance Programs are providing services to clients with depression. The findings are available in their Lawyer Assistance Programs Services Addressing Depression report.