Student Wellbeing Through Teacher Wellbeing: A Study with Law Teachers in the UK and Australia

Student Success - Volume 10 (3) 2019

ANU College of Law Research Paper No. 20.27

9 Pages Posted: 17 Dec 2019 Last revised: 26 Oct 2020

See all articles by Colin G. James

Colin G. James

ANU College of Law - School of Legal Practice. Australian National University

Caroline Strevens SFHEA

Portsmouth Law School

Rachael Field

Bond University - School of Law

Date Written: December 10, 2019

Abstract

Research confirms law students and lawyers in the US, Australia and more recently in the UK are prone to symptoms related to stress and anxiety disproportionately to other professions. In response, the legal profession and legal academy in Australia and the UK have created Wellness Networks to encourage and facilitate research and disseminate ideas and strategies that might help law students and lawyers to thrive. This project builds on that research through a series of surveys of law teachers in the UK and Australia on the presumption that law teachers are in a strong position to influence their students not only about legal matters, but on developing attitudes and practices that will help them to survive and thrive as lawyers. The comparative analysis reveals several differences, but also many similarities with law teachers in both countries reporting negative effects from neoliberal pressures on legal education programs that impact their wellbeing, performance as teachers and ability to adequately respond to student concerns.

Keywords: Wellbeing, law teacher, student wellbeing, legal education, psychological distress

JEL Classification: 123, K49

Suggested Citation

James, Dr. Colin G. and Strevens, Caroline and Field, Rachael, Student Wellbeing Through Teacher Wellbeing: A Study with Law Teachers in the UK and Australia (December 10, 2019). Student Success - Volume 10 (3) 2019, ANU College of Law Research Paper No. 20.27, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=3501899

Dr. Colin G. James

ANU College of Law - School of Legal Practice. Australian National University ( email )

Canberra, ACT
Australia

HOME PAGE: http://https://legalworkshop.law.anu.edu.au/

Caroline Strevens

Portsmouth Law School ( email )

University House
Winston Churchhill Avenue
Portsmouth, Hampshire PO1 2UP
United Kingdom
02392844240 (Phone)

HOME PAGE: http://www.port.ac.uk/school-of-law/staff/caroline-strevens.html

Rachael Field (Contact Author)

Bond University - School of Law ( email )

Gold Coast, QLD 4229
Australia

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