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* WCIA…
On Oct. 1, the Illinois Supreme Court Commission on Professionalism released a study on the impact of bullying in the Illinois legal profession. With over 6,000 Illinois lawyers as respondents, they’re using the data to raise awareness for National Bullying Prevention Month. […]
18% of survey respondents said they left a job practicing law because of bullying. That means almost 10,000 attorneys currently practicing in Illinois have left a career opportunity for this reason alone.
Overall, the responses found that while bullying impacts lawyers from all backgrounds, it disproportionately affects female attorneys, attorneys with disabilities, attorneys of color, younger attorneys and LGBTQ+ attorneys.
* From the press release…
The study found lawyers from groups traditionally underrepresented in the legal profession experienced bullying at higher rates:
• 38% of female lawyers were bullied, compared to 15% of male lawyers
• 38% of lawyers with an impairment that substantially limits a major life activity were bullied, compared to 23% of lawyers without that level of disability
• 29% of LGBTQ+ lawyers were verbally bullied related to their sexual orientation, compared to 3% of heterosexual lawyersIn breaking down experiences of bullying by race:
• 36% of Middle Eastern/North African lawyers were bullied
• 35% of Black/African American lawyers were bullied
• 34% of Hispanic lawyers were bullied
• 32% of multiracial lawyers were bullied
• 28% of Asian American lawyers were bullied
• 23% of white lawyers were bulliedIn addition, younger attorneys were more likely to experience bullying, with the probability of being bullied decreasing for each increasingly older group of lawyers. Thirty-nine percent of lawyers aged 25 to 35 were bullied, compared to 12% of lawyers aged 66 to 75.
That’s all just insane. Forget about the differences between categories for a moment and just think of the crazy number of attorneys who said they’ve been bullied.
* More…
The report outlines recommendations that workplaces, bar associations, law schools, government organizations, and others can take to help prevent bullying in the legal profession.
These include:
• Legal workplaces should develop, implement, and enforce anti-bullying policies. These policies should clearly define bullying, detail concrete and meaningful remedial actions for engaging in bullying (including mandatory training, reprimand, demotion, termination, or other consequences), outline the process for reporting bullying, require an investigation of the allegations and documentation of the results, and prohibit retaliation for reporting. Existing anti-harassment policies that only prohibit harassment based on a protected class are insufficient.
• Legal workplaces should conduct training specific to their organization’s anti-bullying policies and procedures to equip lawyers with tools to respond, whether they are being targeted by bullying or witnessing it.
• Law schools should also offer educational programs and training to law students on bullying prevention.
• Courts should enforce anti-bullying standards in courtrooms and litigation activities.
• The Illinois Attorney Registration and Disciplinary Commission (ARDC) should continue to review the bullying complaints it receives and, when such complaints show bullying behavior that violates the Illinois Rules of Professional Conduct, recommend appropriate remediation or disciplinary measures to send a strong message against the bullying.
• Bar associations should use their resources and reach to advance programs that educate members on the prevalence and impact of bullying in the legal profession.
• Lawyers being bullied should respond in the way they feel best safeguards their rights, well-being, and career.
The full report is here.
posted by Rich Miller
Wednesday, Oct 9, 24 @ 3:03 am
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