Trauma-Informed Lawyering: Training as a Foundation for Trauma-Responsive Courtrooms and Legal Practices

Trauma resulting from violence is widespread and common. While many rely on legal systems following a traumatic event, trauma education is not required for legal professionals. Studies indicate high levels of trauma exposure among the prison population and victims of crime often experience adverse outcomes such as PTSD, depression, and anxiety. Despite this, lawyers receive inadequate training to equip them to provide trauma-informed services. In this paper, we describe an innovative 90-min trauma-informed training for lawyers and present findings from Focus Groups Discussions (FGDs) with legal professionals who have attended the training. Four FGDs were held between March and September 2024 with a total of 15 participants. Findings from a thematic analysis indicate that participants viewed the training as a transformative experience, with many identifying the lack of trauma-related content in traditional legal education as a significant gap. Participants reported gaining actionable skills to improve communication with clients with trauma histories, increased ability to recognize clients’ reactions and behaviors related to traumatic stress, and deeper awareness of vicarious trauma in their own professional lives. Study participants expressed a need for additional trauma training, especially on vicarious trauma. These findings provide preliminary evidence that trauma-informed lawyering training may strengthen client–lawyer relationships, reduce inadvertent re-traumatization, and support attorney well-being. Findings are based on qualitative data from a small, self-selected sample and are not intended to be generalizable. This training offers a promising avenue for expanding trauma education within the legal profession and for supporting the development of trauma-responsive courtrooms and legal practices.