Vicarious Trauma in the Legal Profession
Secondary or vicarious trauma can and does exist in our profession and can result from hearing clients talk about what they experienced and seeing their physical reaction to the experiences, writes Karen Munoz in her March Illinois Bar Journal article, “Vicarious Trauma in the Legal Profession.”
By raising awareness, Munoz continues, attorneys can recognize the signs of secondary trauma within themselves and others. Attorneys want to be strong advocates for their clients, but sometimes lines can get blurred, and our own expectations can become overwhelming.
Read the March IBJ article, "Vicarious Trauma in the Legal Profession."
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Member Comments (2)
Have any studies been done about trauma survivors who become attorneys for individuals in traumatic situations? How do such attorneys handle it? Is it advisable to avoid such situations?
Hi Peter
I am not aware of any specific studies that examines trauma survivors who become lawyers. Please take a look at the article for some information on working with clients who have trauma and self-care tips for attorneys.