HelpCase Study: Supporting Employee Wellbeing in Corporate Law
When Seward & Kissel’s Chief Human Resources Officer, Mary Walls, first explored new options for supporting employee wellbeing, she wasn’t just responding to HR trends, but also motivated by her own lived experience. Years of supporting family members through traumatic brain injury and bipolar disorder shaped her understanding of how mental health affects a person’s ability to thrive.
Mary brought this lens to her work. “Law firms can be very stressful environments,” Walls explained. “Poor performance can actually be someone struggling with something much deeper.” Her goal was simple but ambitious: ensure every employee had tools and support to stay healthy, so they could bring their best selves to work.
Before partnering with NAMI-NYC, Seward & Kissel relied primarily on its Employee Assistance Program (EAP). While helpful, offerings were limited. When the firm joined the NAMI-NYC Workplace Mental Health Collaborative, Walls immediately saw a more modern, expansive, and practical set of tools.
The firm’s first major engagement, a mental health overview for all partners at their partner retreat, was transformative. NAMI-NYC’s facilitators highlighted the signs of mental health challenges, how they appear in the workplace, and why leaders should avoid assuming that performance issues are purely behavioral. “It was eye-opening,” Walls said. “Partners recognized situations from their own teams.” A follow-up session on burnout further shifted leadership mindset. Partners learned how to identify burnout in others and in themselves. “After COVID, I was burned out,” Walls shared. “Understanding those signs helps prevent bigger issues later.”
One of the most significant business impacts has been the change in openness and communication, especially among senior leaders. Previously, mental health was rarely discussed. After NAMI-NYC trainings, partners began proactively consulting HR, such as, “I think someone on my team may be struggling. What can I do?” That proactive approach reduces risk and prevents turnover.
The Collaborative also provided something Seward & Kissel didn’t know it needed: a multi-industry community of peers. Instead of only hearing from other law firms, Walls found herself connecting with leaders across sectors. “It was reassuring to see everyone dealing with similar challenges,” she explained. “Our conversations sparked shared solutions we could bring back to our firm.”
For Walls, the cost-benefit analysis is simple. “Organizations spend far more on client lunches or holiday parties,” she noted. “The Collaborative is a small investment with a tremendous return.”
To join the NAMI-NYC Workplace Mental Health Collaborative or learn more about our workplace programs, fill out our form and we’ll be in touch.