Retirement On Trial: Documentary Film Project

Filmmakers Steve Herman and Evelyn Neaman

Stephen Herman (He/Him)

A Civil Litigator and Amateur Documentary Filmmaker

Stephen Herman is a civil litigator based in Vancouver, Canada with over 35 years of experience. He is currently transitioning from full-time to a part-time practice. Stephen has conducted seminars and webinars for lawyers on retirement preparation since 2014.

He is also an amateur documentary filmmaker, with a passion for criminal justice reform and has produced documentaries for projects in Ethiopia, Central America, Guyana, and Vietnam.

His latest documentary, "Retirement on Trial," follows his journey as a lawyer who sets out to make a film about his struggle in preparing himself and his colleagues for the significant psychological transition of retirement. The documentary is being showcased at legal conferences and private events throughout North America.

Evelyn Neaman (She/her)

Documentary Producer and Director of Events, Justice Lab Productions

Evelyn Neaman and Stephen Herman collaborated on the production, writing, and direction of the documentary, Retirement on Trial. Drawing from her background in cultural anthropology, curriculum and instruction, and community education, this film project enables Evelyn to guide audiences through exploring the diverse perspectives of the "culture of retirement."

Evelyn had a 30-year career in program management at the Justice Education Society, She led projects involving the public, judiciary, lawyers, and police in Canada, Central America, Ethiopia, Guyana, and Vietnam in access to justice and criminal justice reform. She has created multiple documentaries and success stories highlighting these projects.

Evelyn is also a seasoned wellness and yoga practitioner who runs a boutique yoga studio in Vancouver, Canada. She has been offering wellness practices to the public, judges and lawyers for over 25 years, both locally and internationally. She has led multiple wellness retreats at Hollyhock Retreat Centre and other studios, and wrote and produced a best-selling Yoga DVD, Restorative Yoga: Healing Through Breath and Stillness.

About the Project

The idea for Retirement on Trial began with a simple observation: many people spend decades preparing financially for retirement, yet very little attention is given to the emotional and psychological transition that comes when a career ends.

As filmmakers and longtime observers of professional life, Evelyn and Steve began hearing the same story again and again. People who had spent their lives building meaningful careers—lawyers, judges, farmers, police officers, educators, and entrepreneurs—often found that leaving work was far more complex than they had expected. While retirement is often portrayed as a long-awaited reward, the reality for many includes questions about identity, purpose, community, and meaning.

These conversations led us to ask a deeper question: what happens as we transition away from full-time work?

To explore this question, we began filming interviews with people from different professions and stages of life. What emerged were honest and often moving reflections about the challenges of letting go of a professional identity, the fears and possibilities that accompany retirement, and the search for a meaningful next chapter.

The result is Retirement on Trial, a documentary project designed not only to tell these stories but also to spark conversation. The project includes two related films—one focused on the legal profession and another that expands the lens to people across the working world.

Together, the films invite audiences to rethink retirement—not simply as the end of a career, but as an opportunity to imagine what the next stage of life might become.