Beating Burnout: Stopping it Before It Starts

This program is designed to proactively address and recognize causes and signs of burnout in ourselves and others on our legal team before they manifest in severe symptoms. Attendees will examine the differences between burnout and depression, look at some strategies for using stress for good, examine 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 and create a sustainable environment where attorneys can thrive without reaching the point of burnout.

Learning Objectives:

1. Recognize the signs of burnout in yourself and other attorneys

2. Differentiate between burnout and depression

3. Use stress for good and develop a greater understanding of how stress impacts on physical, mental, and emotional health

4. Explore how stress impacts a lawyer's duty of competence (MRPC 1.1), diligence (MRPC 1.3), and communication with others (MRPC 1.4)

5. Discuss mindfulness techniques for attorneys and resources for assistance