The shadow of stress inevitably hovers over work in any profession. That is especially true in the practice of law, an endeavor in which lawyers must solve challenging and high-stakes problems, often within extremely tight deadlines. So, what does it…
How Mindfulness Practices Can Benefit Lawyers
Burnout is a phenomenon that many lawyers are all too familiar with. You’re working long hours, sleep has become elusive, you’re chronically exhausted, overly cynical, and you may feel ineffective in your career. Even your subconscious thoughts are constantly ruminating…
Develop Your Work Mindset
Take a moment to think about your typical workday. If you look closely, every workday is simply a series of hundreds of mini-situations you must think through in order to make it through the day: How do I deal with…
Self Care: Learning to Read Your Bodily Navigation Stars
There is an analogy that has been passed down through the years involving a woodcutter going about the task of cutting wood. In the story, the woodcutter is asked by an observer why they don’t stop to sharpen their saw.…
Getting Sworn In: Taking the Oath on Your Own Terms
Huzzah, you’ve finally passed the bar exam! It’s time to take your lawyer’s oath. Would you like to A) Line up with hundreds or maybe thousands of other newbies, right hand raised to repeat the words en masse in an…
Lawyers Find Strategies for Dealing with Secondary Trauma
Like many lawyers, Vicki Trapalis is called upon to deal with other people’s trauma on a daily basis. She works in San Francisco’s dependency court, representing children who have been through unimaginable horrors. Recently, she got a desperate call from…
A City View Inspires: Our San Francisco Values and a Pledge to Promote Wellness
The following are excerpts from Stuart Plunkett’s remarks at his December 17, 2019, installation as the 2020 president of the Bar Association of San Francisco. Lately, when I go outside, I try to feel the City beneath my feet—to renew…
Women in Trial, Part III: Seasoned Juvenile Court Attorneys Benefit From 2019 BASF President’s Trial Training Initiative
Doris Cheng concluded her year as 2019 Bar Association of San Francisco (BASF) board president by hosting the third installment of her Women in Trial initiative. Cheng, widely recognized as a trial lawyer advocacy skills trainer, devoted this last training…
Law Firms Get Creative To Combat Mental Health Challenges
When the law firm Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman asked employees to share their wellness concerns in a confidential survey last year, lawyers and professional staff alike reported stress as the top issue by far. Yet few people were taking advantage…
Barristers: The Next Generation of Leaders
Graduating from law school and entering the legal profession is exciting, but also terrifying. Even the most seasoned attorneys can still remember the first time someone turned to them expecting them to know the answer because they were The Lawyer.…
Self Care is Community Care
As we neared press time for the Spring issue of San Francisco Attorney magazine, we found ourselves in uncharted territory. The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic is forcing us to examine how we live, work, and connect with each other. As a…