The author reflects on a familiar irony within the legal profession: attorneys who meticulously manage their clients’ affairs often neglect their own. Recounting a conversation with another estate planning attorney on a tax deadline day, both admitted they had delayed completing their own filings. This pattern, the author explains, is not rooted in laziness but in the tendency of professionals to prioritize clients above themselves. Similar behavior is seen across professions, as doctors delay checkups and financial advisors overlook their own investments.
The article highlights how lawyers, particularly those handling estate planning and real estate, routinely address life’s most significant matters—assets, death, and taxes—yet often leave their own affairs unresolved. Many delay creating or updating estate plans, reviewing property documents, or planning for succession. This avoidance stems from a desire for perfection, discomfort with mortality and family dynamics, and the constant demands of client work, ultimately leaving their own families vulnerable.
The author argues that true self-care for legal professionals extends beyond rest and relaxation. It involves actively maintaining personal systems and making intentional decisions to safeguard one’s well-being and future. Lawyers, equipped with specialized knowledge, are uniquely positioned to implement comprehensive plans for themselves. This includes drafting essential documents such as wills and trusts, reviewing property ownership, updating beneficiary designations, organizing assets, evaluating insurance coverage, and ensuring tax efficiency and coordination of assets.
By engaging in this process, the author experienced a sense of control and relief, along with improved professional effectiveness. Going through the same steps as clients deepened the author’s empathy and understanding, leading to better legal guidance. The article concludes by urging attorneys to treat themselves as their most important clients, emphasizing that even small, deliberate steps toward organizing personal affairs can provide lasting benefits for both the individual and their family.
For more information see Soo Yeon Lee “Career Development and Wellness – Lawyer’s Personal Well-Being Through Professional Self-Care,” ABA Probate and Property Journal, March 12, 2026.