Don’t Shut Me Down: Becoming a Better Lawyer Through Chronic Illness
*Melanie Hodges Neufeld
This article was originally published on Melanie’s personal blog, It’s Friday I’m in Law. To help reduce the stigma facing lawyers living with a disability and help achieve wellness for all in the profession, Melanie is sharing her experience with chronic illness through a series of blog posts on her personal blog.
It’s difficult as a lawyer to admit weakness. So instead I share my chronic illness with you not as a weakness but as a strength. Endometriosis is my daily reminder to take care of myself. I must eat right, exercise and get a full night sleep to keep the pain and fatigue ‘manageable’. It’s a struggle and while I would prefer to live my life without it, I’ve reframed the experience into a positive. I now see how my chronic illness has transformed me into a better lawyer and allowed me to continue in the profession.
Throughout 2026 I plan to focus on the impact of chronic illness on my life as a lawyer, both positive and negative. For today, here are a few positives:
Folks Love You: While chronic illness can be isolating, nothing else has shown me the good and kindness in others. Trust that your family, friends nd colleagues care about you and want to help you.
You Are More Than What You Produce: Ah, toxic productivity. It’s a constant battle to accept that folks love you just for you, not for what you accomplish.
Balance is Everything: My body makes me stop work. I can give a good eight hours of work but then I must take care of myself. How healthy is that?
Good Enough is Good Enough: I no longer have the time or energy to stress over every word. I now strive for excellence, not perfection. See my previous post, Good Enough: Striving for Excellence Not Perfection.
I know many of my fellow lawyers suffer silently with pain. I hope that my posts provide some inspiration to take care of yourself and to at least know you’re not alone in this. I have learned to cope, and love and hope is why I am here now.
* Melanie Hodges Neufeld is Legal Counsel with the Insurance Councils of Saskatchewan. Previous roles include Policy and Communications Advisor with the Canadian Lawyers Insurance Association (CLIA), Legal Information Lead with the Saskatchewan Ministry of Justice in the development of online dispute resolution projects and Director of Legal Resources with the Law Society of Saskatchewan.