It is something that Ms Schubach – a growth and strategy executive at Halo Group, the holding company for BigLaw challenger firm Hamilton Locke – is passionate about, having recently undertaken a study of over 400 Australian lawyers to deduce the neuropsychological impacts of extended lockdowns on lawyers’ psyches. She wrote about her findings in an op-ed, published last week by Lawyers Weekly.

This study was not the first that she undertook, with her findings from 2020 drawing attention to the need for meaningful social interaction in order to better navigate the ongoing challenges of the age of coronavirus.

In conversation with Lawyers Weekly, Ms Schubach (who, despite her “relatively junior tenure”, serves as the spokesperson to Hamilton Locke’s board in implementing mental health and wellbeing initiatives that capture the needs of junior lawyers, business support, and other staff) said that the next generation of leaders in the legal profession have a responsibility to reflect on and advocate for the needs of those that may not otherwise be heard by senior leaders.

“We have access to a subset of experiences that are often not directly communicated to senior leaders,” she posited.

“Because of the recent emphasis on mental health, many emerging leaders have grown in tandem and therefore developed a fluency for wellbeing, positioning themselves to offer different, innovative perspectives and solutions. These must be leveraged, and it is our role to keep executors and executives accountable.”

This is in addition, Ms Schubach pointed out, to one’s individual responsibility to themselves: “I think there is always both personal and collective level of responsibility when it comes to one’s mental health and wellbeing. Whilst it is for the individual to reflect and continue to do their best, it is for the collective to de-stigmatise, provide resources, and support or listen as needed.”

Grabbing the bull by the horns in such a fashion is especially critical, she stressed, given “enduring concerns” about the pervasive stigma surrounding mental health issues in the law.

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“Just like physical health, it is a state of being that fluctuates, in this case, the mind, whether in response to environment, experiences or other external or internal stimuli. The misconception prevents people from speaking openly about mental health and accessing the resources that will help them perform, for example, time off to recharge,” she mused.

The other concern that plagues her, Ms Schubach continued, is the potential for people to predominantly associate poor mental health with lockdown.

“The risk here is that law firm leaders and the industry generally become complacent in providing continuing support and open dialogue around the topic,” she said.

“A related issue is that people who may continue to experience mental health difficulties post-pandemic may feel more isolated in their experience and may not seek the support they need.”

On the flip side, however, there is also much to relish when looking at the professional landscape of the future and how attitudes towards, and actions supporting, lawyers’ wellness will evolve, Ms Schubach detailed.

“It is really positive to see a trend whereby people, particularly senior professionals, are more open to speaking about their personal experiences and are being met with reciprocated openness or support and understanding. This normalisation will play a significant role in improving levels of wellbeing, and I hope to see this trend continue,” she opined.

“I am seeing more and more workplaces implementing mental health and wellbeing programs that provide a range of support across seniorities and business functions. For example, there has been a recent rise in forming a network of mental health champions in firms. At my workplace, Hamilton Locke, individual champions appointed in each office receive mental health first aid training specifically for the legal profession, amongst other things.”

For her part, Ms Schubach said that she is “always looking” to do more to better support legal professionals when it comes to wellness.

“As someone who is lucky enough to bring their whole self to work every day, I see my personal and professional role converging, particularly in this space,” she proclaimed.

“That role being to continue to shape the legal profession in Australia as one that is cognisant and supportive of its members’ mental health.

“I hope to do this by continuing to take pulse checks, writing articles and research, and ultimately being an open and empathetic presence for people to talk to, both in my workplace and more broadly.”