Haynes Boone is helping lead the charge in transforming the wellness culture within the legal field, spearheaded by Wellness Manager Abby Read. Read and Partner and Wellness Committee Member Ricardo Garcia-Moreno recently spoke to Texas Lawbook and Law360 on the firm’s wellness journey.
Haynes Boone’s podcast series, “Wellness in Law,” is part of the firm’s broader wellness initiative, HB Well, and tackles topics like “caffeine, alcohol, parenting, ergonomics and sleep, to name a few,” said Law360 Pulse. “The recordings are meant to highlight the ‘significance of holistic well-being’ for lawyers, particularly those in a high-pressure, client-facing environment.” As the podcast series continues to grow, it “is relevant not only to Haynes Boone’s lawyers but to the broader legal community," noted Texas Lawbook.
A standout episode features Garcia-Moreno, managing partner of the Houston office, sharing his near-death experience of cardiac arrest while watching football. "Three strangers rushed to Garcia-Moreno’s aid to administer CPR, including a server who had been a doctor in Cuba, keeping him alive for 20 minutes until paramedics arrived," Law360 Pulse reported. Garcia-Moreno’s experience led to CPR training for 60-70 people at Haynes Boone’s Houston office and beyond.
"New research shows that you don’t have to do mouth-to-mouth," Garcia-Moreno told Texas Lawbook, which he says changes the game for CPR in a post-pandemic world.
Read’s approach to wellness is comprehensive, focusing on five areas: physical, emotional, intellectual, spiritual and financial.
“Well-being programming is pretty new in the legal profession,” Read explained, underscoring her strategic approach to creating structured wellness initiatives that go beyond ad hoc programming. The firm has introduced step challenges and healthier office snacks, with mental health remaining a primary focus. As Read remarked in Texas Lawbook, the growth she’s witnessed over two years is remarkable: “The culture and the people who have really bought into this … has remained true throughout,” she said.
Read’s background as a registered dietitian and former wellness coordinator at Methodist Health System helped her transition seamlessly into this role.
"When I was working with doctors, they had already made up their minds on whether they were going to work out ... but attorneys are like, 'I know I’m stressed, tell me what I should do,'” Read shared with Texas Lawbook, reflecting on her experience with two highly demanding professions.
Ultimately, these wellness efforts are more than just firm perks. As Garcia-Moreno noted in Texas Lawbook, they "make employees happier and healthier," which is not only reflected in the office atmosphere but also in their work.
Subscribe to Haynes Boone’s “Legal Landscape” podcast here, which includes all “Wellness in Law” episodes.
