On Demand
Audio
It’s Okay, I’m Okay: Attorney Wellbeing and the Duty to Provide Competent Representation in an Age of Isolation
Produced on May 05, 2020
Course Information
Course Description
Overwhelmed, anxious, and isolated in your practice? These feelings aren’t unusual, even in the best of circumstances. Without intervention, they can lead to debilitating depression and loss of your ability to competently represent your clients and manage your practice.
In this program, ethics lecturer Tamar Cerafici will address why a practicing lawyer should prioritize their health and wellbeing - not only for themselves but as an ethical duty under the Model Rules of Professional Conduct.
Learning Objectives:
- Review the ethical underpinnings of lawyer wellbeing initiatives in the MRPC
- Implement a personal wellbeing program (even if your firm has one)
- Identify resources to help organize your world for a remote and isolated practice
- Discuss how to build a lawyer well-being program at your law firm
Credit Information
Faculty
Tamar Cerafici
Cerafici Law Firm
Tamar Cerafici has been a member of the Lawline faculty for nearly ten years, teaching popular courses on law practice management, ethics, and nuclear issues.
For most of the last thirty years, Tamar’s practice has included wide-ranging environmental issues, from representing small businesses with regulators to build a new generation of nuclear plants.
In 2016, Tamar was sidelined by chronic Lyme and associated cognitive issues, including ADHD. These conditions were exacerbated by a cascade of tragedies, life events, and impulsive choices that challenged her desire to practice law at all, let alone competently. Fortunately, she assigned her caseload to other attorneys before Bar Counsel got involved.
During her Odyssey, she learned a few things about her ethical obligation to stay mentally fit, and made wellness her primary practice goal that are worth sharing. She now provides support for attorneys and other professionals who are struggling with isolation in their practice through her website, thebluebookofhappiness.com
Bar Admissions:
Utah (active) and Idaho (inactive)
Specialties
National Environmental Policy Act for licensing new nuclear facilities; negotiation with regulatory agencies, dispute resolution
Reviews
Thank you for making me feel better about myself
Interesting
This was not what I expected it to be but I appreciated the human element added by the instructor's own struggles.
One of the best CLEs I have taken.
I watched your lecture from Japan (at night) and I enjoyed it so much. While the topic is not so related to law itself, this lecture is quite helpful for me to keep my mental health stable. Thank you again for your lecture.
This is a great course.
Good Ideas. Thanks.
Great instructor and presentation! Definitely helpful during these times.
Informative Lecture