Aware that every action we take is decisive in breaking the stigma surrounding mental health, we are thrilled to share that we have officially joined the Direito Mental association, as we mark World Mental Health Day this month.

It is estimated that “more than half of lawyers feel deprived of participating in family moments” and “34% have already been diagnosed with anxiety, burnout, or depression, with 15% admitting to having had suicidal thoughts recently” (Source: Incorporate Magazine, 2024). These are 2024 figures, yet they reflect today's reality: the sector requires investment in a positive and supportive culture, where psychological well-being is treated as a fundamental pillar of daily legal practice.

Although legislation has evolved and secured important achievements for the protection of lawyers, these steps are merely the foundation of a transformation that is far from complete. For these legal measures to translate into real change, law firms, professional bar associations, and the justice administration itself must move from formal compliance to active cultural transformation. This means promoting realistic deadlines, encouraging disconnection, redefining processes, and, above all, viewing mental health as an essential prerequisite for the ethical, rigorous, and sustainable practice of law.

Direito Mental & Castilho International Legal Corporation

The Direito Mental association comes forward precisely to help address these and other issues, helping to break down taboos that concern society as a whole and to build genuinely healthy workplace environments.

"The mental health of legal professionals is not a personal matter - it is a matter of the quality of justice.” (Carlos Eduardo Peixoto, Psychologist (2026))

More than an institutional commitment, this partnership reinforces our conviction that safeguarding mental health in the legal sector indispensably requires guaranteeing and respecting fundamental workplace rights, namely:

• The right to safe and healthy working conditions;
• The right to work-life, family, and personal balance;
• The right to disconnect;
• The right to privacy;
• The right to non-discrimination and equal opportunity.

Since its founding, Castilho has been and remains committed to leading by example, prioritizing balance, mental health, and respect for our people. That is what drives us and defines who we are.