Well-Being Committee

As trusted legal advisers and leaders, lawyers tend to lead busy lives - working long hours and navigating high stress situations and constant change. Certainly, many challenges that lawyers face provide important opportunities for growth and learning.  But, as reported in the Hawaii Task Force Report on Lawyer Well-Being issued in June 2021 and available here, and the ABA National Task Force Report on Lawyer Well-Being issued in 2017 and available here, studies show that the demands of the profession can take their toll. Indeed, lawyers can be prone to chronic stress and high rates of depression and substance abuse.  

The HSBA Well-Being Committee is working to implement priority recommendations from the Hawaii Task Force Report aimed at improving and supporting lawyer well-being in a variety of ways, including for example, preventing and recovering from burnout, compassion fatigue, financial fitness, mindfulness through meditation, health and fitness, and social activities.   

Please feel free to contact [email protected] or any Committee member if you’d like to volunteer for or discuss any well-being activities or initiatives.  We welcome and appreciate your interest.         

Follow us on Instagram @hsbawellbeing or join our LinkedIn group, Hawaii Lawyer Well-Being.

Upcoming Events

Mindful Mondays: Monday, April 1 at 12:00pm

Starting at noon is a beginner-friendly guided mindfulness chair-seated meditation like how we’ve been doing, with some expanded remarks on this practice in relation to overall consciousness. Additional discussion may follow at 12:30. Click here to join via Zoom or use Meeting ID: 815 9249 1338 with Passcode: 065131

Bench Bar Wednesday Walk April Schedule

Join us for a weekly bench bar walk every Wednesday!

  • Honolulu: Meet at the King Street gate of ‘Iolani Palace for an afternoon walk around the Capitol. April 3, 10, 17, and 24 at 4:45pm.
  • Hilo: Meet at the entrance to Liliuokalani Gardens Park by the park sign, at the corner of Banyan Drive and Lihiwai Street across of Hilo Bay Café, for an afternoon walk around the gardens. April 3, 10, 17, and 24 at 4:45pm.

Hawaii Events for National Lawyer Well-Being Week (May 6 to 10, 2024)

We have two special outdoor events planned on O‘ahu in May (May 4 and May 11) to help us celebrate National Lawyer Well-Being Week (May 6-10). HSBA Leadership Institute fellows (2023) Mele Coleman and Caitlin Moon are organizing these events in collaboration with the Well-Being Committee to provide members of our legal community with opportunities to learn about important conservation work happening in He‘eia while enjoying the outdoors. We hope you can attend one or both tours and ‘ohana and friends are welcome. Spots are limited and are first come, first serve. Please RSVP at your earliest convenience and by no later than April 21

On May 4, 2024, you are invited to go on a one-hour guided walking tour of He‘eia Fishpond, an ancient Hawaiian fishpond. The tour will start at 9am and be led by Paepae o He‘eia, a nonprofit organization established in 2001 and dedicated to restoring and caring for He‘eia Fishpond. Cost is $15 per person (kama‘aina) and keiki 3 and under are free. Click here to learn more about Paepae o He‘eia.

On May 11, 2024, you are invited to go on a one-hour guided walking tour to start at 9am and hosted by Kāko‘o ‘Ōiwi, an nonprofit established in 2006 that cares for approximately 400 acres in He‘eia, including lo‘i kalo (taro patches) and agroforestry sites. Cost is $15 per person (kama‘aina) and keiki 5 and under are free. Click here to learn more about Kāko‘o ‘Ōiwi.

The nonprofits hosting the tours will collect the fees, and information on how to pay will be provided to those who RSVP.

Here is the RSVP LINK for the events. Please RSVP at your earliest convenience and by no later than April 21 as spots are limited.

Additional events will be planned for National Lawyer Well-Being Week - please stay tuned for more!

Well-Being in Law Week (May 1-5, 2023)

Thank you for attending Well-Being in Law Week!


Hilo Bench Bar Walk (May 2)


Honolulu Bench Bar Walk (May 3)


Ohana Lacrosse Clinic (May 5)

 

Passage Meditation

Interested in meditation, but haven't found a program that works? Looking for an easy to follow meditation program? We invite you to learn and practice passage meditation with our group of Hawaii lawyers. Contact Jerry Clay ([email protected]) for more information. 

HSBA Well-Being Committee Resources

 

Fastcase

Smarter Legal Research included with your HSBA Membership