One of the defining themes of this pandemic has been advocating for proper mental health support. Through numerous lockdowns, working at home, and limited social interactions, people’s mental health has suffered tremendously. More specifically, the legal field has suffered these extra stressors on what was already a field plagued by unaddressed mental health issues. In fact, a survey of Yale Law School students found that 70% of students were dealing with mental health issues while studying at law school (Miki, 2020). Although there is lack of research, it is not surprising that similar trends persist for practicing lawyers and other legal professionals.
It is thus of the utmost importance, now more than ever, to reward and highlight those who seek to improve mental health resources for those often overlooked. Maneesha Gupta is a prominent lawyer and advocate for mental health among the legal profession. For her work on Bay Street and her mental health mission, Maneesha has been named one of The Top 25 Most Influential Lawyers of 2021 (Canadian Lawyer, 2021). Gupta received her J.D. from Osgoode Hall Law School and now practices in intellectual property, advertising, and technology law on Bay Street in Toronto (Gupta, 2021). Since entering the legal field, Gupta could not help but notice the “normalcy” of mental health struggles among legal professionals. She sought after peer-to-peer solutions where together, lawyers could seek wellness and personal development. But, to her misfortune, Gupta was unable to find anything of the sort.
Maneesha Gupta has since founded Mindful Lawyer Canada; a peer-to-peer network for practicing mindfulness and wellness. Mindful Lawyer Canada seeks to “increase access, community, and care for legal professionals experiencing mental health and addiction issues” (Gupta, 2021). Through events and workshops, Maneesha seeks to help legal professionals build their emotional resilience, self-empowerment, and mindfulness (Gupta, 2021). These events and workshops aim to provide the tools that will allow professionals to combat the sources of burnout, anxiety, and depression that are unfortunately common among legal professionals.
Not only is the Top 25 lawyer an active advocate for mental health, but she is an advocate for the advancement of women, diversity and inclusion, and access to justice. Embedded in the values of her organization, Mindful Lawyer Canada, are those of diversity, inclusion, and accountability (Gupta, 2021). Maneesha’s organization is a place where legal professionals are accountable to supporting not only each other's mental health, but accountable to fostering a welcoming environment for all. For her work in mental health advocacy and the broader legal community, Maneesha has been named one of Canada’s Top 30 Under 30 Changemakers of 2021 (Gupta, 2021). It is people like Maneesha Gupta who will change the legal field for the better, leaving the next generation of lawyers a positive and inspiring environment to be a part of it.
References
Canadian Lawyer. (2021, September 15). The top 25 most influential lawyers 2021. Canadian Lawyer. Retrieved from https://www.canadianlawyermag.com/rankings/the-top-25-most-influential-lawyers-2021/359652#winnersListSection
Gupta, M. (2021). Mindful Lawyer Resources. MANEESHA GUPTA. Retrieved September 27, 2021, from https://www.maneeshagupta.com/.
Miki, S. (2021, July 20). Lawyer burnout: Stopping it before it starts. Clio. Retrieved from
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