Enhancing Lawyers' Well-Being and Competencies Beyond the Traditional Law School Curriculum: The Impact of Mindfulness Education on Law Students

(2025) 58:1 UBC Law Review

32 Pages Posted: 19 Oct 2024

See all articles by Thomas G. W. Telfer

Thomas G. W. Telfer

University of Western Ontario

Emily Nielsen

Western University - Department of Psychology

Sara Ahola Kohut

The Hospital for Sick Children

Elli Weisbaum

University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada

Date Written: September 19, 2024

Abstract

High rates of mental health issues have been reported among legal professionals and law students alike. Research conducted in the legal field and beyond has consistently linked mindfulness with improved well-being. Consequently, in 2019, Thomas Telfer launched an upper year credit course called Mindfulness and the Legal Profession at Western University, Faculty of Law with the intention of bolstering student wellness and providing training in skills not traditionally covered in the law school curriculum. The course-believed to be the first credit course on mindfulness at a Canadian law school-combines a daily mindfulness practice with readings and discussion on topics such as mental health, focus and distraction, emotional intelligence, resilience, compassion, mindful listening, negotiation, and legal ethics. This paper presents a qualitative study of student reflections on the course. Our analysis shows that the course had a significant impact on participants' mental health and led to growth in skills relevant to the legal profession, including improved communication skills, enhanced focus, and increased productivity. Participants also experienced greater self-awareness and an enhanced ability to attend to the present moment. Many participants expressed an intention to use the skills that they learned in the course in their professional lives moving forward and a belief that the law school curriculum should be expanded to include courses such as Mindfulness and the Legal Profession. We argue that there is value to be gained from teaching law students about mindfulness. Courses such as Mindfulness and the Legal Profession belong in the law school curriculum and are deserving of consideration by the broader legal community.

Keywords: mindfulness, meditation, law students, law school, well-being, mental health, focus, productivity, higher education

Suggested Citation

Telfer, Thomas G. W. and Nielsen, Emily and Ahola Kohut, Sara and Weisbaum, Elli, Enhancing Lawyers' Well-Being and Competencies Beyond the Traditional Law School Curriculum: The Impact of Mindfulness Education on Law Students (September 19, 2024). (2025) 58:1 UBC Law Review, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=4992046 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.4992046

Thomas G. W. Telfer (Contact Author)

University of Western Ontario ( email )

1151 Richmond Street
Suite 2
London, Ontario N6A 5B8
Canada

Emily Nielsen

Western University - Department of Psychology ( email )

1151 Richmond St
London, Ontario N6A 3K7
Canada

Sara Ahola Kohut

The Hospital for Sick Children ( email )

Elli Weisbaum

University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada ( email )

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