Every lawyer, articling student and law student (at an Alberta law school) and their dependent family members are eligible for 4 hours of professional counselling per issue per year with a registered psychologist through Forbes Psychological Services Ltd. Call 1-877-498-6898.

Crisis counselling is also available 24/7 at 1-877-498-6898 by following the prompts.

In our traditional peer support model, lawyers and articling students can ask to be matched with a volunteer lawyer who has been trained in peer support and who has a shared experience. We have also expanded peer support into easy-access models, to ensure that junior lawyers and articling students can connect with a senior lawyer volunteer and to support law students who are participating in recruitment weeks.

Assist provides information and resources to the Alberta legal community about lawyer mental health, well-being, substance use and healthy living. We believe that the stigma around mental health issues and substance use disorders can be countered by accurate data which show the extent to which lawyers face these issues and seek assistance.

Loneliness and isolation are big issues in 21st century life and can be precursors to depression. Assist has proactive strategies to create communities where all lawyers and students are welcome which are centered around common activities and experiences.

We can also connect lawyers, articling students and law students in recovery with lawyer 12-step groups.

Current initiatives include free weekly yoga & mindfulness classes, New Parents Practicing Law, online coffee circles and pop up peer support.