An end to attorney suicide.

We are dedicated to advancing research, education, and awareness regarding the causes and prevention of attorney suicide.

Read our mission Meet our board

What NAPAS does.

NAPAS funds and amplifies peer-reviewed work on attorney mental health, distributes evidence-based education to the bar, and partners with state and national legal organizations to reduce stigma.

The legal profession reports rates of depression, anxiety, and suicidal ideation that exceed the general public. We believe attorneys deserve the same evidence-based response we give our clients.

From the president

Attorney suicide is a public health problem, not a private failure. The first step is naming it.

— Terry Bentley Hill, President, NAPAS

RESEARCH & EDUCATION

Evidence on attorney mental health

Peer-reviewed studies on the mental health, suicidality, burnout, and resilience of attorneys and law students.

Mental Health

The Prevalence of Substance Use and Other Mental Health Concerns Among American Attorneys

Krill, P. R., Johnson, R., & Albert, L. · Journal of Addiction Medicine · 2016

Landmark national survey of nearly 13,000 currently practicing attorneys, finding markedly higher rates of problem drinking, depression, and anxiety than in other professional populations.

Read paper

Mental Health

Stress, drink, leave: An examination of gender-specific risk factors for mental health problems and attrition among licensed attorneys

Anker, J., & Krill, P. R. · PLOS ONE · 2021

Read paper

Mental Health

Suicidal Ideation, Mental Health, and Stress Among U.S. Lawyers and Law Students

Krill, P. R., Anker, J., Garcia, L., et al. · Healthcare · 2023

Read paper

Browse all research →