May 4, 2011 – The State Bar of Wisconsin through its Lawyers Assistance Program (WisLAP) is one of several bar associations participating in a study conducted by a nationally renowned research team. The study seeks information on factors, personal and professional, that contribute to life and career satisfaction or dissatisfaction. Questions are related to wellness and illness, values and motivations, and fundamental values.

“This broad-based study will provide data on the psychosocial effects of not only the law school experience but the experience of practicing attorneys and those who are retired or have left law,” says WisLAP Coordinator Linda Albert.

“WisLAP, as well as many bar leaders and law school faculty, will use the data to develop programs and initiatives to prevent and mitigate professionalism, ethics, and mental health and substance abuse problems within the profession,” says Albert.

The study is headed by Dr. Kennon Sheldon, University of Missouri, Department of Psychology, and Professor Lawrence Krieger, Florida State University College of Law. Sheldon and Krieger have published studies and articles on the effects of law school on students. This study expands their previous studies to lawyers in all stages of their careers.

Data will be anonymously collected through a 20-minute Internet-based questionnaire, which will be emailed to a sample of State Bar members the week of May 9. Results will be reported in aggregate form only.

“We hope to get a large sample of our membership completing the survey,” Albert says. “The more participants, the more we can learn from our members, and the better we can serve them through Bar programs and services.”