The right NOT to remain silent
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Workplace mental health in the legal profession
High expectations, long hours and a culture that prizes competence and self-reliance can make it difficult for legal professionals to acknowledge when they are struggling. In this Stories of Hope session, Beth Beattie and Michael Herman draw on their lived experiences with mental health challenges during successful legal careers, while psychotherapist and former lawyer Doron Gold brings a clinical perspective on the pressures faced by people working in law. Together, they examine stigma, silence and the expectation to keep performing even when someone is struggling.
Moderated by Akela Peoples, CEO of Mental Health Research Canada, the conversation brings together Beth Beattie, a lawyer with the Ontario Ministry of the Attorney General, Michael Herman, a lawyer and Partner at Gowling WLG, and psychotherapist and wellness educator Doron Gold. Beth and Michael share their lived experiences navigating mental health challenges in legal workplaces, while the panel considers vulnerability, performance, professional expectations and what meaningful support can look like in a demanding work environment.
Expert Voices
Beth Beattie
Lawyer, Ontario Ministry of the Attorney General
Beth Beattie is a lawyer with the Ontario Ministry of the Attorney General and a prominent advocate for mental health in the legal profession. Drawing on her experience living and working with bipolar disorder, she speaks openly about stigma, disclosure and the pressures legal professionals can face when navigating mental health challenges. She is also a co-editor of The Right Not to Remain Silent: The Truth About Mental Health in the Legal Profession.
Michael Herman
Lawyer and Partner, Gowling WLG
Michael Herman is a lawyer and Partner at Gowling WLG with more than four decades of experience in business law. Drawing on his own experience with depression, he has become a strong advocate for mental health and wellness within the legal profession. His work seeks to reduce stigma and make it easier for people experiencing mental health challenges to speak openly and seek support.
Doron Gold
Psychotherapist and Wellness Educator
Doron Gold is a psychotherapist, wellness educator and former practising lawyer whose work focuses extensively on the mental health and well-being of legal professionals. Working with lawyers, judges, law students and other professionals, he brings both clinical expertise and firsthand knowledge of legal culture to conversations about stress, anxiety, depression and other challenges within demanding workplaces.
MediaSmarts, Université de Sherbrooke
What is Stories of Hope: Voices of Lived Experience?
This webinar series creates space for people to share their experiences with mental health in their own words. Hosted by Mental Health Research Canada, the series uses personal stories to offer insight and inspiration while highlighting the roles that hope, connection and recovery can play in people’s lives.
