The head of Psychological Services at the Law Society Antoinette Moriarty is a keynote speaker at the IBA global conference in Mexico this week.

Moriarty addressed two sessions on psychological wellbeing in Mexico City.

Her talk on ‘Educating for Wellbeing in Law Schools and Legal Practice’ discussed how to foster a supportive and inclusive environment in both academic and professional settings.

Moriarty spoke about how a student experiencing incivility in online classes could lead to isolation and declining academic performance.

Effective support systems

Institutions should identify and address incivility in virtual environments, providing effective support systems, Moriarty said.

Strategies include faculty training, fostering peer support, and building community.

Moriarty then spoke about an early-career lawyer struggling with remote work, facing isolation, as well as blurred boundaries between work and personal life.

The discussion ranged across post-COVID adjustments, remote-work norms, right-to-disconnect policies, and mental-health support initiatives.

Inclusivity

The panel discussion then moved to fostering inclusivity in legal education and practice, and how to make all-comers feel welcome in a predominantly homogenous law-school environment.

This can be done through mentorship, inclusive curricula, support networks, and fostering a sense of belonging in both academic and professional contexts.

Meaningful assignments

The discussion then focused on how to instil loyalty and commitment in juniors through meaningful assignments, mentorship, feedback mechanisms, and aligning tasks with skills.

The session aimed to provide practical steps for law schools, firms, and trainers to support wellbeing in legal education and practice.

Learn more about Law Society Psychological services at www.lawsociety.ie/ps