The National Law Journal Quotes Meg Meserole on ABA Pledge Campaign on Substance Use

Meg Meserole, chief human resources officer at Akin Gump, was quoted in The National Law Journal’s “Legal Industry Admits It Has a Substance Abuse Problem, But Recovery Won’t Come Easy,” regarding the American Bar Association’s recent pledge to address substance abuse and mental health issues in the legal profession. Akin Gump is one of several firms to sign the seven-point pledge (click here to read more), which includes, among other things, educating attorneys and staff on wellness, changing the status quo of alcohol at firm events, developing visible partnerships with outsiders aiming to reduce substance abuse, and providing confidential access to mental health experts and resources.

Meserole, who led the effort at Akin Gump to improve mental and emotional wellness as part of a larger “Be Well” program that launched in 2016, said, “I think we’re already on the path to embracing the changes that the ABA has outlined in their pledge. So we’re not starting from scratch here.”

Reinforcing this point, Akin Gump has already begun providing educational opportunities to lawyers and staff on topics related to well-being, substance-use disorders, and mental-health distress. The firm has also initiated a pilot program in Washington, DC, to be expanded to other offices in 2019, that offers confidential access to onsite addiction and mental health experts and resources to employees, including free, in-house self-assessment tools. (Click here to learn more.)

Of the steps Akin Gump is taking directly, Meserole said the firm is looking for an “appropriate balance” with regard to holding some events without alcohol present in light of the ABA’s effort.