At the close of Mental Health Awareness Month, two familiar voices in the eDiscovery and legal technology community stepped forward to launch a conversation long overdue. Mind Matters: Breaking the Silence in Legal Spaces—a new monthly broadcast presented by ACEDS—debuted with a mission rooted in candor, connection, and courage. But more importantly, it debuted with two hosts willing to lead by example.
The inaugural episode wasn’t about data, workflows, or technology. It was about the people who power this industry—people who, despite expertise and accomplishment, carry private burdens, unspoken grief, anxiety, addiction, or the pressure to appear “fine” in environments where perfection is the currency.
What unfolded between hosts Mike Quartararo (President of ACEDS) and Jeff Hirvela (a sales leader at Epiq) was more than an introduction to a show. It was the kind of meaningful, vulnerable exchange that signals a cultural shift within legal: away from silence, toward solidarity.
Why This Conversation, and Why Now
Mental health and wellness have become part of the corporate lexicon, but in many corners of the legal world—law firms, corporate legal, litigation support, eDiscovery, investigations—the conversation still feels risky. Burnout is normalized. Drinking culture is embedded. Anxiety is expected. Vulnerability is often mistaken for weakness.
That’s precisely why Mind Matters was born.
ACEDS brings community to the legal tech world. Why not use that platform to bring resources, recovery support, and peer mentorship to professionals navigating addiction and wellness challenges? Mind Matters creates a space where people in the industry can talk openly—with credibility, compassion, and proof that vulnerability isn’t a liability; it’s leadership.
This initiative began months earlier with quiet conversations between Mike and Jeff, two professionals from different journeys who recognized a shared truth: until people with influence openly address the human realities affecting our work, nothing changes.
Their inaugural episode was their promise to show up first—to set the tone they hope others will follow.
Jeff’s Story: From “Life of the Party” to Living With Purpose
One of the most compelling moments of the broadcast is when Jeff shared his journey to sobriety—something he has discussed in recovery circles, but never before in a public or professional forum.
He didn’t offer clichés. He didn’t deliver a neatly packaged narrative about hitting “rock bottom.” Instead, he provided a deeply relatable portrait of someone who spent years displaying confidence externally while battling self‑doubt internally.
From adolescence through adulthood, alcohol became both an amplifier and an anesthetic—making him feel social, accepted, fun. In the eDiscovery world, where client dinners, bar nights, and conferences blur into long evenings, drinking became easy to justify. “It’s part of the job,” he would tell himself. And because he excelled professionally, few questioned it.
But the tradeoffs accumulated. Hangovers compounded the negative self‑talk. Regret replaced joy. Achievements couldn’t silence anxiety. The spiral accelerated.
Jeff’s turning point came in 2017. He hadn’t lost everything—but he saw clearly he was walking toward that edge. And unlike many, he raised his hand before the plunge.
Recovery, for Jeff, came through a 12‑step program and the steady rebuilding of a self he could be proud of. Today, he still attends industry events, still builds relationships, still represents his company—but he no longer needs to be the last one at the bar. He no longer performs a persona for acceptance. He shows up as himself.
And with sobriety came something he never expected: confidence.
Not performative confidence, but authentic self‑worth—supported by tools, community, and an ongoing commitment to personal wellness.
The fear that he would lose everything if he got sober turned out to be the opposite: sobriety returned everything he was losing.
Mike’s Perspective: The Power of Vulnerability From the Outside Looking In
While Mike’s path differs, his experiences illuminated another dimension of the conversation. Coming from a family touched by addiction, he understands both the personal and generational impacts of substance use—how it affects relationships, identity, and the way people cope with stress.
His story continued into another profound chapter: a near‑fatal heart attack mid‑flight and, shortly after, the heartbreaking loss of his wife of 37 years. What followed was grief, disorientation, rebuilding—and eventually therapy, which helped him navigate emotional trauma, patterns around behavior, and the realities of healing.
Mike spoke candidly about the social stigma around therapy, particularly among men and leaders. Yet he made an important distinction: seeking help isn’t a sign of damage—it’s an investment in your own humanity. It’s what enables you to continue leading, mentoring, parenting, and contributing without silently deteriorating behind the scenes.
For Mike, the intersection of addiction, grief, stress, and the high‑pressure legal industry creates a broader imperative: these conversations aren’t just for people struggling with substance use. They’re for anyone carrying invisible burdens.
And in that sense, Mind Matters is less about addiction and more about the full spectrum of human experience in a demanding profession.
Stigma, Silence, and the Culture of “I’m Fine”
One theme both hosts explored was the stigma surrounding mental health and recovery—particularly the discomfort people feel in admitting they need help.
Ironically, as Jeff pointed out, he once openly bragged about late‑night drinking but hid the fact that he was attending recovery meetings. Mike described the similar stigma facing those who attend therapy.
Why? Because too often, the legal profession rewards stoicism. High performance is tied to endurance. Asking for help feels like confession.
Yet the numbers tell a different story:
- 1 in 5 lawyers screens positive for problematic drinking (ABA).
- 93% of junior lawyers report high stress, with 1 in 4 describing it as “extreme.”
- Anxiety and depression account for 12 billion lost workdays annually worldwide, costing an estimated $1 trillion in productivity.
These aren’t personal failures—they’re systemic realities. And they demand systemic conversations.
Where Mind Matters Is Going
Each month, the show will feature a guest willing to share their story, their struggle, and—critically—the tools and resources that helped them heal. Guests will come from across the legal and business landscape: professionals in recovery, leaders battling burnout, advocates for mental health, and organizations building support systems within the industry.
The goal is simple: normalize conversations that help people feel less alone.
Future episodes will explore:
- addiction and recovery
- burnout and overwork
- grief and loss
- anxiety, depression, and stress
- therapy and coaching
- wellness practices and routines
- leadership through vulnerability
- community as a lifeline
The hosts stress they are not clinicians. They’re not experts. They’re professionals willing to tell the truth—and create a platform for others to do the same.
A Community Effort, One Story at a Time
Why ACEDS? Because it’s an organization that values community—and community is the antidote to isolation.
Mind Matters is an invitation. To talk. To listen. To share. To learn. To heal. To show up for one another, one conversation at a time.
As Jeff closed the episode: “One step at a time.”
And as Mike added: “Let’s keep showing up for one another.”
The legal world doesn’t need perfection. It needs connection. And with this new series, that connection has finally found its voice.
