Developing Soft Skills for Stress Management of Legal Professionals

Abstract

The research article “Developing Soft Skills for Stress Management of Legal Professionals" aims to propose guidelines for utilizing soft skills in managing stress among legal professionals through qualitative research methods. This involves documentary research and in-depth interviews. The researchers found that stress management is crucial for legal practitioners due to the high levels of pressure and stress inherent in their complex and high-responsibility work. Moreover, they often deal with clients facing legal issues and disputes. Developing soft skills in law practitioners, especially starting from when they are law students, is an effective way to enhance their stress management abilities and improve work performance. The study also explores approaches used by leading law schools in the United States for developing stress management skills among law students. Examples include the "Mindfulness for Law Students" course at the University of California, Berkeley, and the "Law Student Wellness Program" at Georgetown University Law Center. Additionally, the University of Toronto offers Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) courses and integrates mindfulness practices rooted in Buddhist principles to help law students manage stress. The research concluded that law schools in Thailand could adapt these international stress management approaches to provide law students with strategies and opportunities to develop essential skills for managing stress in their future legal careers. This adaptation could serve as a form of resilience that enables them to balance work, studies, and personal life more happily and effectively