Ethics and Well-Being: Solutions Oriented Discussion

The seminar will contain two parts. Part One is Ethics Rules and Well-Being Tools. Part Two is Practicing Wellness from Conflict to Calm.

In Part One, "Ethics Rules and Well-Being Tools," three Model Rules of Professional Responsibility and their interplay with well-being will be presented. The seminar will lean into the Report from the National Task Force on Lawyer Well-Being and the Well-Being Toolkit for Lawyers and Legal Employers. Some recognized tools that will be discussed are: the definition of a healthy workplace; having a plan (therapy/coach resource, substance abuse support), enlisting leaders, and creating a well-being policy. The seminar will examine how well-being tools positively impact lawyer adherence to professional responsibility rules relating to competency, communications, and safe-keeping of property.

In Part Two, "Practicing Wellness: From Conflict to Calm," the seminar takes a deeper dive into every day law life and explores the evolving well-being soft-skills every lawyer needs. Caring for yourself as a lawyer is a part of your duty. The Model Rules of Professional Conduct establish a clear baseline for competence, diligence, and integrity-but they are largely silent on how lawyers are supposed to preserve these traits in the face of chronic stress, emotional exhaustion, or a lack of interpersonal support. The truth is: the rules assume capacity, but rarely address how to sustain it. Moreover, they require effective communication, but say little about empathy, self-regulation, or active listening. They also demand zealous advocacy, without teaching us to hold space for conflict without burnout.

We are finally saying the quiet part out loud. Wellness is not a luxury. It's a foundation of ethical practice. This seminar presents a well-rounded framework for lawyers to navigate their wellness and practice with integrity, balance, and competence.

Learning Objectives: 

1. Explain how lawyer well-being directly supports compliance with key Model Rules of Professional Conduct, particularly those related to competence, communication, and safekeeping of property
2. Identify and apply tools and strategies from the National Task Force Report on Lawyer Well-Being and the Well-Being Toolkit for Lawyers and Legal Employers to promote ethical and sustainable legal practice
3. Recognize the impact of chronic stress, emotional exhaustion, and burnout on a lawyer's professional capacity and ethical decision-making
4. Demonstrate foundational wellness skills-such as emotional regulation, empathy, and active listening-that enhance communication and resilience in conflict-heavy legal environments
5. Develop a personalized wellness framework to maintain professional integrity, balance, and long-term competence throughout one's legal career