How Mindfulness Can Make You a Better Lawyer and a Healthier Person

“To be a good lawyer, one has to be a healthy lawyer.” -- Report from the National Task Force on Lawyer Well-Being. Many lawyers struggle with the inherent stress and anxiety of practicing law.  In 2017, the ABA National Task Force on Lawyer Well-Being issued a report titled The Path to Lawyer Well-Being: Practical Recommendations for Positive Change.  The report suggested mindfulness as a way to “enhance a host of competencies related to lawyer effectiveness, including increased focus and concentration, working memory, critical cognitive skills, reduced burnout, and ethical and rational decision-making.” 

John Devlin has been litigating cases for more than two decades.  He initially became interested in mindfulness as a way to deal with stress and anxiety but soon discovered that becoming more mindful also made him more effective as a lawyer.  He was more present when talking to clients and witnesses.  He was able to respond rather than react to difficult lawyers and remain calm during particularly stressful moments. In this webinar, John shares what he has learned about mindfulness, scientific research on the benefits of mindfulness, and practical tips on how to get started.  Some of the feedback from trial lawyers who’ve heard his presentation include: “Was a great CLE and a very important one. The presenter was a ‘15’ on a scale of 1-10 (and I don’t give 10’s). Just a great job/great human presentation.”

You do not need any prior experience with mindfulness – just curiosity about the topic.  John believes that if a guy who grew up in the Bronx can develop a daily mindfulness habit, then anyone can do it. This webinar is for anyone who wants to lead a healthier life as a trial lawyer.