George Rios III was hard at work as a litigation attorney when he ran into the metaphorical wall. The Dinsmore & Shohl partner found himself facing mental health challenges, including the isolation of COVID-19 in 2020. The San Diego lawyer picked up running in law school to deal with stress, and post-pandemic, he would step away from his desk during lunch to run.
Rios soon encouraged other legal professionals to make time for exercise. In May 2024, Running for the Law, a nonprofit Rios founded that focuses on mental wellness in both the legal profession and law enforcement, held its first 5K.
“I was very supportive of that because I come from a law enforcement family,” says Edward Arthur, a criminal defense attorney. “I have a father and a brother who are police officers in San Diego.”
The San Diego sole practitioner joined the group in 2024. His firm, the Law Office of Edward C. Arthur, was one of the sponsors of this year's Running for the Law's 5K walk/run, which was held in May to coincide with Mental Health Awareness Month. The race attracted about 100 participants. Arthur also participated in the race and is on Running for the Law's board.
“I think we are going to be able to help a lot more people. This past year was really fun; we had a lot more people, a lot more sponsors,” Arthur says.
Last year, Running for the Law raised $10,000. A portion of the proceeds went to the San Diego County Mock Trial Competition.
Clarice Estrada Barrelet is the founder and CEO of Counsel Collection Management in San Diego. She participated in last year’s 5K with her three children, ages 12, 14 and 17, and says she was so impressed with Running for the Law’s mission that she decided to become more involved. She was asked to serve on the board this year.
While she does not identify herself as a runner, Barrelet does make time for the gym and yoga classes and encourages other lawyers to regularly schedule time for activities they enjoy.
“In law, there is almost the sense of pride in how much you work or how long your hours are,” Barrelet says. “Certainly, in law school, how many overnights you pull. People who sleep and rest are seen as, ‘Well, you must not be that busy.’”
A 2023 article published in Healthcare, “Stressed, Lonely, and Overcommitted: Predictors of Lawyer Suicide Risk,” reported that lawyers were prone to mental health issues, including anxiety, depression and substance abuse, which are linked to suicide.
Both Barrelet and Arthur agree they, like most lawyers, encounter their share of job stress. One area some in the legal space contend with is time management.
“George started [Running for the Law] by running outside at lunchtime,” Barrelet says. “Even just getting outside instead of eating at your desk.”
And since San Diego’s weather is conducive to outdoor activities, Arthur says he returns to the office “a better boss,” refreshed and unwound after his break from the office.
“If I want to go take a run, I’m going to go take a run. If I want to go to a Pilates class, I’ll go take a Pilates class. If I want to go surfing, I’ll take time off to go surfing,” he says. “At the same time, I need to know that the work that needs to be done is getting done.”