Have you ever noticed that the pressure of in-house legal work doesn’t usually break you all at once, but instead shows up sideways as irritability, exhaustion, or a short fuse that feels out of character? Many in-house lawyers pride themselves on being resilient problem-solvers, yet that same mindset can make it hard to recognize when something deeper is happening. The cost of ignoring it isn’t just personal. It affects judgment, leadership presence, and the culture of the legal department itself, ultimately impacting in-house lawyer wellbeing.
That reality came through clearly in a recent conversation with Collin Williams, founder of New Era ADR, who spent years both in private practice and in-house before building a company to fix broken systems. His story resonated not because it was dramatic, but because it was familiar. He described living with depression that did not look like withdrawal or disengagement, but instead showed up as anger and reactivity. Like many legal professionals, he kept functioning, performing, and leading, without realizing the toll it was taking on the people closest to him. Those experiences certainly highlight the importance of lawyer wellbeing in-house.
Watch the full conversation with Collin Williams:
When High Performance Masks a Deeper Problem
In-house lawyers often operate under the assumption that if work is getting done, everything must be fine. Depression and chronic stress challenge that assumption. They can coexist with high performance for a long time, especially in roles that reward control, decisiveness, and constant availability. The problem is not capability. It is sustainability, and recognizing wellbeing is crucial.
For legal leaders, this matters because emotional volatility does not stay contained. It shows up in meetings, in how teams communicate, and in how risk is assessed. What Colin described was not a lack of professionalism, but a growing gap between how he saw himself and how others experienced him. That gap is often the first warning sign, and it is usually noticed by colleagues or family long before it is acknowledged internally. Recognizing in-house lawyer wellbeing is an early step in bridging this gap.
From Suffering to Living With It
One of the most powerful shifts Colin articulated was moving from “suffering from” depression to “living with” it. That change sounds semantic, but it reflects a fundamental leadership mindset. Suffering implies confusion, shame, and helplessness. Living with something implies awareness, strategy, and agency. For those focused on in-house lawyer wellbeing, this reframing offers valuable guidance.
For in-house counsel, this reframing is critical. Legal leadership already involves managing complexity, uncertainty, and risk. Mental health deserves the same treatment. Once identified, it becomes something to manage thoughtfully rather than something to hide. Therapy, routine, and in some cases medication are not signs of weakness. They are tools, no different from governance frameworks or escalation protocols that support wellbeing.
Why Leaders Set the Tone
In-house legal teams take cues from how their leaders show up under pressure. When leaders treat mental health as taboo, teams learn to suppress concerns until they become crises. When leaders are candid and grounded, they normalize seeking support before things spiral. Therefore, prioritizing in-house lawyer wellbeing becomes a powerful lesson for the entire team.
Colin chose to be open about his experience with employees and publicly, not to invite sympathy, but to remove stigma. That transparency sends a powerful signal. It tells teams that performance and humanity are not mutually exclusive. It also creates space for earlier intervention, which benefits both individuals and organizations, fostering in-house lawyer wellbeing.
A Quiet Advantage for In-House Counsel
In-house lawyers are uniquely positioned to model healthier leadership because they sit inside the business rather than outside it. They influence culture through daily decisions, not just policy. Recognizing mental health as part of legal leadership is not a detour from professional excellence. It is a prerequisite for it, which underscores the need for focusing on lawyer wellbeing.
The takeaway is simple. If something feels off, don’t wait for it to break. Naming the issue is often the first step from suffering to living well. For in-house legal leaders, that shift doesn’t just improve personal wellbeing. It strengthens judgment, trust, and the long-term effectiveness of the legal function by acknowledging lawyer wellbeing.
Watch the full conversation here: Notes to My (Legal) Self: Season 10, Episode 2 (ft. Collin Williams)
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