Attorney Wellness And Competency CLE

In this program, Gary Reing, former Chair of the Lawyers Assistance Committee of the NYS Bar Association and NYC Bar Association, talks about his own addiction struggles and path to recovery, including his reinstatement to the practice of law. Additionally, he will address issues of substance use and addiction within the legal profession and discuss ways to identify attorneys in trouble and explore resources where attorneys can get help.

The term “lawyer well-being” may seem like an oxymoron. For a junior lawyer, the demanding hours, the pressures to bill, and the stressful work environments can be overwhelming and often have detrimental effects. It often seems impossible to manage high-levels of stress and combat burnout while at the same time finding time for self-care. This program will educate attendees on the data related to the prevalence of mental health issues and substance use disorders in the profession, particularly in lawyers under 30 years of age or ten years out of law school, and discuss certain indicators of burnout. In addition, the speaker will present best practices/effective strategies and preventative measures that junior lawyers can implement so that they not only thrive, but flourish in any practice setting.

Mental health issues and substance use disorders can impact any law student, attorney or judge regardless of ethnicity, gender, age, orientation of socioeconomic status. But no matter the background, the legal profession seems to suffer in silence. Why? Stigma – the cultural prejudice and discrimination that labels an individual as defective or weak has the power to create a reluctance to speak about the issues and be a barrier to seeking treatment. This program will define the stigma, explain the reasons why stigma is so pervasive in the legal profession, and why it is critical to overcome these beliefs and identify effective means to ameliorate stigma and identify affirming attiudes for recovery. Throughout the presentation, the speaker will focus on several different “life stages” of an attorney and how stigma affects each group and identify best practices to conquer stigma in the legal community.

Mental health issues and substance use disorders can affect any attorney, in any setting, and at any time. Left untreated, they can destroy careers and lives. This program will discuss where the legal profession currently stands in relation to the substantial challenges presented by untreated mental health issues and substance use disorders and examine the nexus between ethical competence, under the Model Rules of Professional Conduct, and attorney well-being. This program will educate attendees on how to recognize the signs of an impaired attorney, how to approach the colleague and begin a conversation, and discuss the possible disciplinary and professional liability implications of an impaired attorney’s conduct. In addition, the speaker will present best practices/effective risk management strategies, preventative measures, and proposed policy and well-being initiatives, that attorneys in any practice setting may implement to protect clients, themselves and other firm members as well as save careers.

In this course, Alyssa Johnson shares why the practice of law doesn’t always support lawyer well-being and what we can do about it. A recent ABA survey found that the COVID pandemic further exacerbated the stress caused by legal practice for a significant number of lawyers. Ms. Johnson outlines ways that organizations can provide services that enhance attorney mental health and well-being, and she equips attorneys with tools for hormone regulation, stress reduction, and self-advocacy, so that they have the clarity and courage to ask for what they want. All of this information is rooted in neuroscience data and tied to lawyers’ ethical duty to address their well-being.

The practice of law has a big problem: women and BIPOC lawyer attrition. Studies show that the mental health of women and BIPOC lawyers suffers more and they leave the profession faster than others. But late nights and unpredictable hours are symptoms of mismanagement, not inherent in legal work. In this course, Dr. Carminati will discuss the Livable Law Method she created to guide legal organizations toward implementing agile project management techniques. With this method, managers can learn to equalize workflow, improve transparency, and decrease needless stress. Most importantly, they can improve outcomes for women and BIPOC lawyers in their organizations.

This one-hour program discusses the science of resilience, patience and gratitude and offers practical skills and exercises to incorporate these practices into our daily life. We focus on the impact of stress on the mind and body, and how the pandemic is adding to stress to an already overly stressed profession. The objective of this course is to provide tools to approach setting expectations given the current environment of uncertainly.

I once heard that the legal profession is like a pie-eating contest where the prize is more pie. As lawyers, the more work that you get done, the more pie, or work, that you are assigned. If young lawyers do not learn how to manage their time and case load effectively, this can be a source of stress, anxiety, and overwhelm throughout their entire careers. This presentation discusses what time management is, why lawyers should care about time management and discusses various methods and techniques lawyers can use to get organized. This course will discuss why multi-tasking is not effective, why procrastination seems so satisfying in the moment, and how to break the habit loops that can keep lawyers stuck. By the end of this presentation, the participants will have several tools to utilize to become more productive and manage their legal practice and lives more effectively.

In this course, we will learn why lawyers experience greater overall rates of substance use and mental health issues than the general public. We will review how lawyers have been faring during the pandemic (using survey results), as well as best practices for improving lawyer well-being within an organization. Finally, this course will discuss the neuroscience of pleasure and provide tools for increasing pleasure in our lives. All of these lessons are tied to lawyers’ ethical duty to maintain well-being.

Special care is needed when working with clients in trauma, both to support them and to protect yourself. This session covers the ways to prevent secondary trauma and compassion fatigue when working with clients in trauma, including how to maintain your equilibrium while hearing stories of trauma and tips on self-care during the interview and afterward. We will define the serious consequences that may arise for practitioners working with those in trauma and outline a well-being approach to prevent burnout, secondary traumatic stress, and vicarious trauma. This program will benefit practitioners who work with clients in trauma, including those in criminal law, family law, immigration law, employment law, and all those whose work, including pro bono work, touches on issues of trauma.

This one-hour program discusses the science of stress and resilience and offers several strategies to combat stress in the legal practice and to prevent burnout. The objective of this course is to provide tools that will increase lawyer competency by learning to identify stress and appropriately respond to stressors.

This program will consider how to manage stress and how to recognize signs of burnout in ourselves and others on our legal team. We will also examine the differences between burnout and depression, look at some strategies for using stress for good, e.g., to regain focus to advise clients and anticipate future challenges, and some maladaptive strategies for coping with stress and how that impacts upon our duties of competence, diligence and communication with clients. Lastly, we will learn about proven techniques to calm the mind to ensure the skill and mental and emotional ability to perform legal services for clients facing a range of uncertainty and new challenges, and provide resources on where and when to seek help for these issues.

Being a lawyer inevitably means experiencing a lot of stress. Stress is impossible to avoid, but it is not impossible to manage. You can learn how to handle stress for your own sake, the sake of your loved ones, and for your own career satisfaction and success. During this seminar, Cheyne Scott shares various techniques for addressing seven common stress points most lawyers share. As a litigation partner, Ms. Scott is walking in your shoes everyday. As a Certified Life Coach, she will show you to a different path for handling the stresses of practice so you can find balance amid chaos and uncertainty, and take personal satisfaction in work that you do.

In this course, Reid will share his lived experience coping with mental health issues as a lawyer, including the decision to publicly disclose his bipolar II diagnosis in 2017. You will learn how to identify signs of burnout and poor mental health in lawyers, as well as self-care techniques, coping skills, and mental fitness exercises to improve well-being and work performance. You will also learn about Reid’s volunteer and advocacy work to help others, including serving as a facilitator for peer support calls for the Lawyers Depression Project.

A clear and healthy mind is critical in our ability to navigate the myriad of challenges we face as lawyers. Stress is a normal part of our lives. If left unchecked, it may impact multiple areas of our body including the brain. Unmanaged stress may lead to poor nutrient absorption and multiple symptoms that can impact our personal and professional quality of life. Similarly, dietary deficiencies can cause or contribute to stress anxiety and even depression. The discovery and implementation of key self-care strategies can improve our mental health and make us more effective lawyers. This unique program provides practical best practices, which focus on building and enhancing a core foundation for mental health and wellness.

If you could protect your cognitive health in the future, would you, do it? Research indicates that cognitive decline can begin in our 20s and 30s. The truth is, it’s never too early to recognize the threats that can adversely impact our cognitive function. It’s estimated that at least one-third of all diagnosed cases can be prevented through lifestyle choices. As lawyers, we understand that good cognitive function is vital to our professional obligations and abilities. This course offers evidence-based strategies to help protect and preserve your cognitive health. Discover the natural action steps that you can implement now to help you maximize your long-term cognitive care.

Despite its complexity, substance abuse impacts our profession at every level, often resulting in devastating outcomes. Yet, discussions about addiction commonly overlook preventative steps we can take to reduce the risk of professional and personal peril which may occur if left unaddressed. This presentation explores both sides of the issue by examining the root causes which lead to substance abuse within the legal profession. This course also delves into the connection between depression and addiction and how to implement successful strategies to address the underlying sources before they become destructive. For those suffering with substance abuse, discover key strategies and positive practices that can aid you in your journey toward wellness.

In this interview style CLE, Quimbee faculty member Alyssa Johnson interviews Certified Burnout & Alcohol Coach Wendy McCallum on gray area drinking and how it affects lawyers. Gray area drinking is examined within the spectrum of alcohol use and behavioral markers are shared to help lawyers identify if they are gray area drinkers. The ways that gray area drinking can affect a lawyer’s legal practice and life are discussed and practical tools are given to help address and reduce a lawyer’s reliance on alcohol.

Mismanaging an IOLTA account is one of the primary reasons that attorneys find themselves in disciplinary hot water, and misconduct, even if “innocent,” can lead to discipline, including loss of the ability to practice. In many cases, the attorney involved has never been trained how to handle a trust account, and does not know the best practices for handling one. In this program, attendees will learn about the relevant Rules of Professional Conduct, particularly Rule 1.15, and best practices for handling client and other funds in their IOLTA accounts.

Over the last three decades, numerous studies have documented the mental health crisis facing the legal profession. As lawyers, our sedentary lifestyles, poor eating habits, sleep deprivation and chronic stress are common culprits. Although many strides have been made through lawyer assistance initiatives and programs, lawyers and law firms must take actionable steps to improve their professional lives. Wellness s not a new concept but has gained recognition over the last several years as a means of transforming the work space. This course examines the core causes of distress among most lawyers and offers proven solutions to the mindsets that threaten our mental and physical health. Learn how nutrition. Neuroscience and natural therapies can improve concentration, confidence, and calmness to help you achieve optimal wellness and success.

According to the ABA, women make up approximately 37% of the legal profession. Yet, research indicates that female lawyers are much more likely to suffer from mental distress and contemplate leaving the profession. Struggles with earning less, decreased advancement opportunities and pressure to choose between family and career, are only a few root causes behind the mental health crisis women lawyers are experiencing. This unique course offers neuroscience nutrition and natural health strategies designed to help women thrive. Learn emotion regulating tools that can help us maximize our mindset for improved outcomes and discover self-care concepts every woman can incorporate for professional wellness.

Among the best skills new lawyers can possess, self-care may be the most lacking, according to research. Numerous studies have reflected the negative effects that the stress we develop as law students continue to impact us as we enter the legal profession. In this course, we explore how neuroscience (the study of the nervous system) recognizes the detrimental effects of the chronic stress placed on law students and lawyers. Such stress is manifesting itself in rates of anxiety and depression among attorneys that are at a rate more than 3 times that of the general population. Research has established the importance of developing and maintaining cognitive fitness to equip young lawyers with the skills they need to thrive professionally. The course also addresses the connection between nutrition and cognitive wellness and offers practical strategies to help you excel.

The desire to achieve is one of the traits that we learn as law students and which motivates us as lawyers. This mindset creates a culture of competition in which we are always pushing ourselves to do more and be better than others. Striving for perfection can be a lawyer’s best motivator or worst enemy. This course explores the difference between high achievers and perfectionists and the role that stress and anxiety play in both. Dr. Patti offers unique insights to equip lawyers with valuable resources to aid them in striking a healthy balance between work and wellness while developing strategies for success.

Have you ever been depressed? How do you know when it’s more than just a temporary mood? Research shows that lawyers face unique challenges that can lead to depression. It can be hard to tell when it’s time to get help, and many lawyers are afraid of professional stigmatization if they seek help. Discover the symptoms of depression and learn how to effectively navigate professional pitfalls that can interfere with your ability to practice law optimally. This course offers practical strategies that can empower and equip you to identify and ease symptoms of depression.

Can you remember the last time you felt stress-free for an extended period? If you’re like most practicing lawyers, you would find it difficult to remember, or even imagine your life without stress. The reality is that the practice of law is one of the most stressful professions, as borne out in the research. However, you do not have to accept the status quo of stressful living and lawyering. In this course, Dr. Patti McCartney examines the anatomy of stress and offers key strategies to successfully manage the precursors to its detrimental emotional responses.

Cognitive wellness is critical to lawyers’ long-term success. Negative mindsets, perfectionism, and anxiety can contribute to declines in cognitive wellness. When these declines in cognitive wellness impair your ability to effectively practice law, you may be violating your professional obligations. In this course, Dr. Patti McCartney introduces participants to Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)-based methods for sharpening cognitive tools. Attendees will learn how this rational approach to reframing challenges can help you distinguish yourself in the management of cases and professional conflicts.

It’s been estimated that almost half of our daily thoughts are automatic. Thinking like a lawyer is a skill developed in law school and honed throughout our years of practice. From issue spotting to analysis, we are well trained in the assessment of worst-case scenarios. We are paid to assist our clients in the artful management of potential pitfalls.

These cognitive patterns make us more effective in our common daily tasks but can come at a cost. In a profession that rewards skilled pessimism, such thought patterns can prove to be toxic. In this presentation, review practical examples and learn how to navigate automatic, negative thoughts and cognitive distortions to help you achieve professional and personal balance.

Perfectionism in the legal sector has always been a problem due to the crushing time pressures, demanding clients, and rampant poor self-care and substance use disorders plaguing practitioners and legal professionals. This "culture of perfectionism" has encouraged maladaptive coping techniques and led younger lawyers to conceal mistakes, oftentimes to the detriment of both firm and client. This program will explain the phenomenon of perfectionism and provide readily applicable tools to manage its negative impact. It will define perfectionism, the wonder of "adaptive" perfectionism and the dangers of maladaptive perfectionism. This course will also provide strategies for taming your inner perfectionist and explore simple, yet life-changing tools to manage perfectionistic tendencies.

It’s no secret that lawyers work in high stress environments. Long hours, client expectations, competition, lack of boundaries, and many more factors can take a toll on lawyer well being and productivity. Join Dr. Elizabeth Eckhardt, Director of the Nassau County Bar Association’s Lawyer Assistance Program, and attorney Carolyn Wolf, a family-focused mental healthcare practitioner, for a practical course designed to provide lawyers with tips and techniques for controlling and reducing stress at work.

Have you ever considered what advice you wish you had known when you were a new lawyer? This program is based on attorney Lewis Grimm of Jones Day’s consideration of this question. This course will provide practical considerations for new attorneys and helpful reminders for experienced practitioners in areas such as dealing with opposing counsel, advising clients, staying aware of your own mental and physical health, and understanding how to thoughtfully shape your own career.

Humans are hard-wired to connect. We are biologically programmed to need other humans, and a feeling of belonging and connection drives our happiness and well-being. Despite this, many of us will know what it's like to be lonely. Loneliness arises from either a lack of social relationships or a lack of close emotional bonds with those we have relationships with. It can occur because we work from home and don't interact with colleagues often or have the time to pursue social connection, we live alone and rarely see others, or it may be that we just don't have the quality of connection in our everyday lives, we don't have people we feel close to or share values with. Connection exists between people when they feel seen, heard and valued, when they can give and receive without judgment and when they derive sustenance and strength from that relationship.

Although increased use of technology has brought people virtually closer, it has reduced the opportunities for face-to-face communication and instilled a sense of psychological loneliness. No screen interaction can ever equal the connections made in real time and space. While it is normal to occasionally feel lonely, long-term loneliness is associated with an increased risk of certain mental health problems, including depression, anxiety and increased stress. During this program, we will consider the risk factors for loneliness, what loneliness looks like in the legal landscape, what legal employers and individuals can do to combat loneliness, and how to build a culture of connection and community.