Matt Hiltz on Healing, Empathy & Changing Legal Culture

Tim Culbert has a candid and deep conversation with Matt Hiltz, a New Brunswick labour lawyer and advocate for mental health in the legal profession. Matt opens up about his personal journey of confronting childhood trauma and how that experience reshaped his outlook on life, leadership, and law. What began as a difficult reckoning turned into a path toward self-awareness, therapy, and a commitment to showing up authentically for his colleagues, his family and friends, and himself.Tim and Matt explore how trauma can shape behaviour in the workplace, why empathy and psychological safety matter in leadership, and how the legal culture is slowly evolving as more lawyers begin to prioritize wellness over performance. Matt reflects on lessons learned from The Four Agreements and The Fifth Agreement, the importance of responding instead of reacting, and how the next generation of lawyers is redefining what it means to be successful in law, with balance, compassion, and authenticity at the forefront.About Matt HiltzAs a labour lawyer based in New Brunswick, Matt Hiltz advises and negotiates on behalf of the New Brunswick Nurses Union, serves as Vice Chair of the CBA Pension Plan, and is a 2017 alum of the Governor General’s Canadian Leadership Conference. Matt speaks candidly about trauma, healing, and mental health, and how empathy-driven leadership can transform legal workplaces and outcomes.Resources discussed in this episode:The Four Agreements – Don Miguel RuizThe Fifth Agreement – Don Miguel RuizCSA Standard Z1003: Psychological Health and Safety in the WorkplaceGovernor General’s Canadian Leadership Conference—Contact Tim Culbert: LinkedInPurvis Culbert Law LinkedInInstagramFacebookContact Matt Hiltz: Website: New Brunswick Nurses UnionLinkedin: Matt Hiltz