In conversation with Jerome Doraisamy: Author & Legal Wellness Advocate

Jerome shares with us his journey as a wellness advocate in the legal sector and why wellness needs to be prioritised by each and every one of us.

We recently had the pleasure of catching up with fellow Australian Jerome Doraisamy, senior writer for Lawyers Weekly and Wellness Daily. Jerome is also the author of The Wellness Doctrines book series, an admitted solicitor in Australia, an adjunct lecturer at The University of Western Australia and is a board director of Minds Count.

When business gets busy, the first thing that is often neglected is our mental and physical health. This is especially the case for those working in the legal profession.

Meera Klemola discusses more with Jerome about his experience with wellness at work as well as his role as a prominent wellness advocate in the legal sector in Australia. Jerome candidly (and rather refreshingly) shares with us his own experience with anxiety and how it inspired him to author a series of wellness books aimed at opening up the discussion on wellbeing in the legal profession. Read the interview below.

How did you find yourself working at the intersection of wellness and law?

Jerome: By chance. I suffered severe clinical anxiety and depression for approximately 18 months as a young lawyer, and felt the need to help raise awareness of the issues faced across the profession. All that has followed — two books, speaking engagements across Australia and abroad, etc — has been a dream, and not one that I could have expected or anticipated! But I’m very pleased to be involved with such advocacy work and feel strongly about my capacity to make a difference.

You are an Australian lawyer, journalist, lecturer, podcast host and also the author of The Wellness Doctrines series. What was your inspiration for writing the Wellness Doctrines?

Jerome:Seeing law students and young lawyers coming through the ranks displaying the same signs and symptoms I had which gave rise to my health issues. I deduced that, broadly speaking, not enough was being done to look after these kids, and that made me both angry and motivated to enact change.

The statistics are staggering that 1/3 law students and lawyers will suffer from psychological distress, anxiety or depression. Why is it that maintaining overall wellness, particularly mental health is such a challenge for legal professionals?

Jerome:There are so many contributing factors that give rise to such health issues. The challenge — for law students and legal professionals — is finding ways to proactively combat each of those issues before they become a problem, rather than reacting to a situation after it has occurred. Only by getting ahead of the game can lawyers ensure that they will be as productive and successful as possible.

Based on your experience and observations, how is technology and the increasing digitisation of legal services impacting the wellbeing of lawyers?

Jerome:The advent of tech in law concerns me. We have work email on our phones, tablets and laptops, so even if we’ve physically left the office, we can still be contacted by clients and superiors. Ensuring we can physically and emotionally disconnect, literally and metaphorically, is imperative. Otherwise, it is so easy to get sucked in and not properly detach.

Whose responsibility is it to positively influence and prioritise the wellbeing of legal professionals?

Jerome:One’s employer is only responsible for creating a supportive, collegiate and hospitable environment between 9–5. Outside of that, it is up to each of us to find activities, hobbies and initiatives that motivate us and provide meaning. This will differ from person to person, as all of us respond differently to external stimuli. I personally love team sport and reading books, but others may get more value out of mindfulness and meditation. Taking the time to figure out what works and doesn’t work for you is essential.

In recent years we see greater emphasis placed on workplace wellness and ‘bringing our whole selves’ to work. What are the reasons for this? Does the new generation play a role in this shift?

Jerome:The younger generation coming through the ranks is much more cognisant of the importance of workplace wellness and optimal culture, and are making vocational decisions based on such metrics. That creates a burden on employers to ensure they are meeting the needs of those applicants, which is a hugely positive trend for the legal profession.

Finally, what are some tips and strategies for legal professionals for maintaining a higher quality of life and overall wellbeing?

Jerome:While it is incumbent upon each of us to find work-life balance in a manner that best suits our idiosyncratic needs, there are rules that apply across the board — these include prioritising sleep, switching off all devices, having open and honest communication with the people in your life whom you love and trust, allowing yourself some guilty pleasures and practising gratitude. No matter who you are, doing all of these things is non-negotiable if you are to stay on top of your holistic wellness. One cannot be a productive, successful lawyer without first being a healthy, happy person.