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Ethics in a High-Stress, High-Stakes Legal Work Environment
Produced on May 26, 2016
Course Information
Course Description
The stress of working in a high-stakes legal environment often negatively affects attorneys and their office culture. This can manifest itself in many different ways – including sapping productivity and creativity, hampering attorney engagement, and causing attorney attrition. These negative effects are often in tension with the ethical responsibilities of lawyers under the Model Rules of Professional Conduct.
In this course, Cynthia Pong, an organizational
Learning Objectives:
I. Identify signs that attorneys are being negatively affected by a high-stress legal environment
II. Learn methods and practices to systematically address these negative effects and ensure compliance with the Model Rules of Professional Conduct
III. Develop a strategic plan to implement these methods and practices in the legal workplace
Faculty
Cynthia Pong
Embrace Change Consulting
Cynthia is a former public defender who practiced in the Bronx, carrying a caseload of 100 to 120 criminal cases at a time. She fought tirelessly for her clients’ liberty and rights; all her felony trials resulted in acquittals.
In 2014, Cynthia left the public defender’s office to follow her true passion: inspiring and supporting lawyers and other professionals to be their best selves at work. Her background as a litigator gave her sharp communication skills, a zeal for advocacy, and a sense of determination. Her experience as a lifelong learner informs the way she break things down when teaching and training others. Her expertise in mindfulness meditation and restorative practices informs her belief that, as attorneys and professionals, we can always improve the ways in which we practice, do our work, and interact with our co-workers, clients, and adversaries.
Prior to working as a public defender, Cynthia clerked for Justice James E. Graves on the Mississippi Supreme Court. She earned her law degree from NYU School of Law (graduating cum laude) and her Bachelor of Arts from Brown University in Ethnic Studies (graduating magna cum laude). She is admitted to practice law in New York.
Reviews
Great cle. We need more CLE seminars like this that treat lawyers as humans, not just lawyers who need to know more law.
This program offered a very basic introduction to mindfulness and meditation, which can be helpful for all lawyers not familiar with these practices.
Great exercises to achieve relaxation. Excellent topic.
Important for the fast paced world to remember to slow down and take care of "me". I am going to try to get in a regime of mindfulness. Thank you.
great (and timely) presentation
Although not a legal/substantive discussion, it was great to learn this perspective on stress management. Very helpful.
This was a great presentation on a subject that does affect all of us in this profession at some point.. Ms. Pong was an excellent speaker and I hope that she has the opportunity to do future presentatons.
Excellent presentation.
Loved this!
excellent presentation
Much needed coverage of an important topic.
Very helpful advice - I definitely recommend this course.
This was a GREAT webinar. Cynthia Pong was informative and witty.
This was very useful on both a personal and professional level. Excellent presentation.
Cynthia Pong has a great sense of presence in conveying difficult information in an interesting, original way. Excellent!
Excellent..!!! Just what I needed. Loved this speaker.
Excellent speaker
The mindfulness and meditation part was especially helpful. Thanks!
Great program! It is refreshing and helpful to hear an honest assessment of the stress that lawyers face and to obtain practical strategies for overcoming that stress. Thank you!
Definitely not your typical CLE, but I think I liked it!
Excellent and helpful presentation - life changing!
excellent
Nice change of pace from usual cram course process. Enables unhurried reflection and change of focus
Excellent tools for life
very practical information
Skeptical at first, by the end, not so much. Will embrace the change.
really liked this one
Excellent course and presenter.
Definitely a refreshing change from the standard presentation. It introduced me to mindful exercises that I hope to use in the future. One of the most practical presentations. Thank you.
The program discussed an important subject that more attorneys should be aware of.
Different, but good.
I think this is an important topic for the legal community. The presenter did a good job of making her powerpoint more visually stimulating than the others I have watched.
Refreshing program that provided some very practical techniques for de-stressing.
Good presentation. Very upbeat.
Great speaker. She is engaging and has a quirky sense of humor.
Loved it. Great presentation.
Excellent program
Awesome!
Different but very helpful.
Great course. Should be taught in every law school and every law firm.
basic but very helpful
An important topic, and one not discussed nearly enough.
This was a great presentation. A great topic to bring to the forefront. It was not until I stepped back from practicing law that I realized how unhealthy the environments of law firms really are.
interesting concept on stress relief
Excellent! Would definitely recommend
Very compelling, timely and relevant. Mental health issues in law practice are rampant, and they deserve compassionate attention.
Very helpful tools presented by an inspiring mentor.
I really enjoyed the breathing exercise
Cynthia was a good presenter. The information was useful and positive.
Great presentation.
Overall, a very good coarse.
loved it! Thank you!
Outstanding.
Great. Different and thought provoking.
Excellent presentation, very informative, with practical tactics for managing stress for practice of law and daily life.
Really enjoyed this course, particularly the interactive aspects which I look forward to practicing in the future. Thank you!
I found this program particularly effective. I especially appreciated the non-traditional aspects of the program.
Great Presentation
Awesome course, much needed. Thank you!
Best class I've taken. Highly applicable to my life. Thank you!
I am going to ask my firm to hire Cynthia run sessions at our workplace
Good stuff.
I too am a recovering lawyer, working now with elementary school students. This program appropriate to teachers as well. Excellent presentation!
thanks cynthia! great presentation with helpful material.
I was very impressed with the tie-ins of stress-reduction techniques with the real-life effects of law practice.
The instructor was enthusiastic which greatly improved the course.
Cynthia Pong was wonderful! She made the material very easy to follow- course exceeded my expectations!!!
Presenter was absolutely terrific. Both engaging and informative.
VERY INTERESTING, NONTRADITIONAL TOPIC.
Fantastic and practical.
Awesome
I needed to experience this class. Thank you.
Great presentation.
One of the most valuable CLEs I've ever taken!
At first, I wondered how relevant this program would be. Then, I was drawn in by the very practical advice on managing stress to ensure you keep balance and give your best to the work.
Great exercises!
...very different...a meditation in a law seminar!!! I liked it.
A fresh, practical take on provisions of the model rules
Knowledgeable speaker offering helpful information in a concise package.
Cynthia Pong is a gifted speaker. This was an outstanding CLE!
Great Program!
Presentation was an important message for lawyers to hear, and yet not what I expect from cle
Spectacular, unique and just what many of us need. Thank you!
Best CLE yet.
Awesome course!
How refreshing! It's great to see the bar taking responsibility for helping its members stay healthy and productive. M There should be more programs like thise even, and this type of mindfulness training should be mandatory for all lawyers. Also, Ms. Pong is amazing. What a find!
Great tactics to employ in a stressful life, not just a stressful job.
Wonderful presentation. Nice change!
really great advice for exercises before court appearances
Good program. Lawline should pursue more programs involving alternative approaches to the challenges of practicing law.
Fantastic program!!!!!!
great advice
I enjoyed the presenter and the content of this seminar.
Inspirational and pracatical topic to manage stress in legal environment and daily life. Appreciated referrals to interet
awesome program
This is an interesting course outside of the norm for attorneys. I found it very interesting and useful.
Good
While this presentation is not filled with legal principles it does address an important issue - that of a healthy working environment and mentality within a very stressful industry.
Great presentation!
Very helpful program
I really appreciated getting to actually practice exercises that she was talking about.
Engaging speaker!
Nice to see a program on mindfulness.
SPEAKER WAS FANTASTIC - HAVE HER FOR ETHICS MORE OFTEN - KEEP HER WEBINARS IN ARCHIVE LONGER
Class was great! All attorneys should watch it!
Enjoyed participative approach versus typical stand and deliver
Excellent