How to Create Work-Life Balance
Join ISBA Mutual Insurance Company for a timely CLE presentation, How to Create Work-Life Balance, led by Joe Scally, MA, JD.
Date: Wednesday, July 16, 2025
Time: 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM (CT)
Location: ISBA Mutual Insurance Company, 20 S Clark St #800, Chicago, IL 60603
CLE Credit: 1.0 hour (pre-approved; final application to be submitted by hosting organization)
As Clinical Director of the Lawyers’ Assistance Program, Joe brings decades of experience in both legal practice and clinical psychology. He will explore the structural and personal challenges that make work-life balance difficult for attorneys and offer evidence-based strategies to improve well-being and life satisfaction.
This Presentation Will Address
Why attorneys are particularly vulnerable to stress, anxiety, depression, and addiction
The legal profession is marked by high stakes, adversarial dynamics, and long hours—all of which contribute to chronic stress and emotional fatigue. Studies show that attorneys experience higher rates of mental health concerns than the general population, often due to perfectionism, isolation, and the pressure to perform. This presentation will explore why these challenges disproportionately affect lawyers and how early identification can mitigate long-term harm.
Common behavioral health concerns within the legal profession
Attorneys frequently face issues such as anxiety, depression, burnout, substance abuse, and even suicidal ideation. These concerns are often compounded by stigma within the profession and a reluctance to seek help. The session will examine prevalent behavioral health trends among legal professionals and discuss how these challenges can manifest in day-to-day practice.
Individual and systemic barriers to achieving work-life balance
Work-life balance remains difficult to attain due to both internal and external pressures. Internally, lawyers may struggle with overcommitment, guilt, or unrealistic expectations. Externally, firm culture, client demands, and unclear boundaries can reinforce imbalance. This presentation will unpack both types of barriers and suggest ways to address them.
Practical tools to promote mental wellness and prevent burnout
Attendees will leave with actionable strategies to support mental health and maintain balance. These include boundary-setting techniques, self-care practices, mindfulness approaches, and organizational tips designed specifically for legal professionals.
How to Create Work-Life Balance, Presented by Joe Scally
Joe Scally is the Clinical Director at the Lawyers’ Assistance Program. He holds a law degree from the University of Illinois and a master’s degree in clinical psychology from DePaul University. A graduate of the University of Notre Dame, Joe practiced law for many years in both state and federal courts in Illinois.
His clinical training includes an internship at the Institute for Juvenile Research and postgraduate study in the Family Systems Program at the University of Illinois at Chicago. Joe has served on the clinical staff of the Community Mental Health Center at DePaul, the Parenting Assessment Team at UIC, the ASSETS Clinic at the University of Chicago, and St. Raymond’s Psychological Services.
He was clinical co-director of the Clinical Evaluation and Services Initiative—a joint project of Northwestern University School of Law and the University of Chicago Hospitals, based in the Juvenile Court of Cook County and funded by the MacArthur Foundation. Joe has also taught courses in Mental Health Law, Ethics, and Assessment at the Chicago School of Professional Psychology.
In addition to his legal and clinical work, Joe served as the national Director of Training and Program Evaluation for the Positive Coaching Alliance, a Stanford University–based nonprofit that brings evidence-based sports psychology to youth athletic programs nationwide. He continues to serve as a national trainer for the organization.
Sign up for How to Create Work-Life Balance
This one-hour CLE has been pre-approved by the Illinois MCLE Board; however, it must be formally submitted for final approval by your organization. For CLE credit in other jurisdictions, please consult the appropriate MCLE board.
As a nonprofit, the Lawyers’ Assistance Program offers this CLE free of charge. Voluntary donations are welcome and tax-deductible, with all proceeds supporting LAP’s mission to help, protect, and educate the legal community about mental health and addiction.
For questions about MCLE paperwork or to discuss donation options, please contact the LAP team directly. Sign up below to reserve your spot!