COURSE CLASSIFICATION: INTERMEDIATE Friday, June 15, 2018, 1:00 p.m. 3:00 p.m.

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1 * PRESIDENT S SHOWCASE * The Florida Bar Special Committee on Mental Health and Wellness of Florida Lawyers presents Mental Health and Wellness of Florida Lawyers COURSE CLASSIFICATION: INTERMEDIATE Friday, June 15, 2018, 1:00 p.m. 3:00 p.m. Course 2866R Staff Contact: Christine Bilbrey (cbilbrey@floridabar.org) Recent studies and statistics provide evidence of the problems Florida lawyers are facing. Just a fraction of the available data shows these issues can no longer be the elephant in the room. Lawyers lead the nation with the highest incidence of depression. Lawyers are 3.6 times more likely to suffer from depression than nonlawyers.1 The suicide rate of lawyers is double that of the general population.2 The ABA estimates 18 percent of all U.S. lawyers suffer from problem drinking (which is double the national average).3 Plain and simple, our profession is suffering; too many lawyers are generally unhappy. Within our Florida Bar membership alone (pursuant to the most recent membership survey in 2015): 33 percent believe high stress is a significant challenge within the profession. 32 percent believe balancing family and work is a significant challenge within the profession. 79 percent believe the legal profession is becoming a less desirable career. 36 percent have considered/are considering a different career. 92 percent experience stress. 43 percent experience a great deal of stress. 67 percent report taking two weeks or less of vacation per year. 38 percent report taking one week or less of vacation per year.4 How Did This Happen? We are a profession of fixers and problem solvers, and with that comes an inherent amount of stress and anxiety. We deal with high emotions from our clients and co workers. Law is adversarial by nature, and the results of our professional efforts are often beyond our control. Clients rarely, if ever, call us to share a good day; instead, we are generally the first line of defense in dealing with This seminar is sponsored in-part by Wellbeing Coaches, an approved member benefit provider with The Florida Bar Member Benefits Program.

2 their problems and crises. These elements are further exacerbated by personality traits that dominate our profession, such as our warrior mentality, self reliance, and perfectionism. Commencing in law school, we are taught to use words and trial skills to frame our arguments and defend our positions. This warrior mentality persists in law firm cultures, which often rewards a win at all costs philosophy. This provides attorneys with the unique ability to deny we have any problems and successfully convince others of the same. We must change this philosophy from the ground up. Attorneys are trained to anticipate everything that can go wrong. This forwardlooking, but often pessimistic, outlook is a component of what our profession deems prudent. In fact, the legal profession is unique in that pessimists out perform optimists. However, it s hard to turn off this pessimistic outlook in our everyday life, and what makes for a good lawyer does not necessarily make for a happy human being. Even worse is that the individualistic nature of our profession seems to cause a reluctance to seek help for depression and mental health issues due to concerns of stigma or appearing weak. This is where The Florida Bar comes in. It is time to start tackling these issues headon by openly discussing and thinking more holistically about mental illness in the legal profession. The statistical evidence cited above underscores a need for the expansion of attorney specific prevention and treatment interventions. Without the right resources, coping strategies, and aid for our physical and mental health, this crisis will not improve. That is why The Florida Bar is focused on giving much needed aid to our lawyers Our speakers will each give a dynamic minute TED style talk on one area of mental or physical health to offer solutions that our members can incorporate into their lives to begin to improve their mental health and wellbeing. The seminar will be moderated by: Dori Foster Morales, J.D. Ms. Foster Morales actively speaks on diverse issues affecting family lawyers and has appeared as a commentator on the O Reilly Factor and the TODAY Show. She has been designated as a Top Attorney by South Florida Business Leader in 2010, one of Florida s Super Lawyers since 2007, one of Florida Trend s Florida Legal Elite since 2006 and as a Top Lawyer in the South Florida Legal Guide since She is the chair of the Special Committee on Mental Health and Wellness of Florida Lawyers. Presentation Schedule: 1:00 p.m. 1:05 p.m. Introductory Remarks 1:05 p.m. 1:20 p.m. The Most Important Conversation Speaker: Justice C. Alan Lawson 1:20 p.m. 1:35 p.m. Techniques to Live a Healthier, Happier Life, and be a More Effective and Efficient Practitioner Speaker: Ronald P. Ponzoli, Jr., J.D.

3 1:35 p.m. 1:50 p.m. Happiness for Attorneys Guaranteed or Your Misery Back Speaker: Mark Eiglarsh, J.D. 1:50 p.m. 2:05 p.m. "The Yoga Remedy: How Mindfulness and Yoga Will Change Your Law Practice" Speaker: Christine Duignan, J.D. 2:05 p.m. 2:20 p.m. Mind Over Matter: Understanding the neuroscience of Stressed out and 5 techniques to Shift to a state of Wellbeing Speaker: Ellen B. Cohen, J.D. 2:20 p.m. 2:35 p.m. What Makes Lawyers Happy Speaker: Lawrence S. Krieger, J.D. 2:35 p.m. 2:50 p.m. Mindfulness: An Evidence Based Approach to Reducing Stress, Improving Your Practice, and Living Your Life Speaker: Stacey Dougan, Associate Professional Counselor, JD, LLM, MS, APC, NCC 2:50 p.m. 3:00 p.m. Concluding Remarks Featured Speakers JUSTICE C. ALAN LAWSON grew up in Tallahassee and attended Florida State University s College of Law. His first job was with the Miami and Tallahassee offices of Steel Hector & Davis. He later joined the Orange County Attorney s Office in Orlando. Justice Lawson previously served on the Ninth Judicial Circuit Court of Florida, from 2002 to 2005 and the Florida Fifth District Court of Appeal from 2005 to 2016 and served as Chief Judge of that Court from 2015 to He was appointed as a justice of the Supreme Court of Florida in RONALD PONZOLI, J.D. is a shareholder in Gray Robinson s West Palm Beach law firm office and focuses his practice on business and commercial litigation, catastrophic personal injury and wrongful death actions, partnership disputes, complex tort litigation and church law. Ron is an elected member of The Florida Bar Board of Governors. He is a past president of the North County Section of the Palm Beach County Bar Association, a past chair of the Palm Beach County Bar Association s Professionalism Committee and is an emeritus member of the Craig S. Barnard American Inn of Court.

4 MARK EIGLARSH, J.D. Mark Eiglarsh was born and raised in Miami. He served as a Miami Dade County Prosecutor from In his over two and a half decades litigating cases Mr. Eiglarsh has tried countless jury trials and has obtained numerous acquittals and produced hundreds of positive results for clients in both State and Federal Court as a result of his experience as both a trial attorney and a negotiator. He serves as an adjunct professor at the University of Miami School of Law. He has been voted by his peers as one of the "Best of the Bar," named as one of Florida Trend's "Legal Elite," selected as a "Super Lawyer," and has appeared on Headline News, CNN, The Today Show, and Good Morning America. CHRISTINE DUIGNAN, J.D. has been a member of the Florida Bar for 27 years, but she has been practicing yoga even longer. For the past 15 years, Ms. Duignan has been of counsel to the Shavitz Law Group in Boca Raton. Ms. Duignan is a Registered Yoga Teacher, with over 200 hours of training. With her unique perspective as both an attorney and yoga practitioner, Ms. Duignan s company Yoga Esq. ( esq.com) brings yoga to lawyers and other professionals to assist them with enhancing their physical and mental well being. ELLEN B. COHEN, J.D. ACC, CPCC, is a practicing entertainment attorney and founder of Contracts Matter. She is currently consulting at Sony Pictures Television as a SVP level Business Affairs executive. Ellen is also a certified executive coach working with senior leaders and attorneys to help them maximize their professional potential and wellbeing. Additionally, she has certifications as a 500 Hour Yoga Teacher, Reiki Instructor and in breathwork. Her coaching and wellbeing work is through her company U Matter Wellbeing. LAWRENCE S. KRIEGER, J.D. Professor Krieger co directs the Externship Program and supervises criminal justice externships at the College of Law. His teaching focuses on litigation skills and the sources of lawyer professionalism. He was one of 26 law professors featured in the 2013 book, What the Best Law Teachers Do (Harvard University Press). Professor Krieger is internationally recognized for his research on the well being, satisfaction, values, and motivations of law students and lawyers. His publications on law student well being and career planning have been used at more than half of the law schools in the United States, Canada, and Australia.

5 STACEY DOUGAN, ASSOCIATE PROFESSIONAL COUNSELOR, JD, LLM, MS, APC, NCC. A lawyer turned therapist who loves working with busy people to adapt to the one thing we can count on in life: Change. While change sometimes fuels anxiety, it can also create powerful opportunities. I partner with clients to help clarify their concerns, identify their strengths, clear away barriers and develop a roadmap that enables them to welcome change as a time of excitement and transformation. My approach to counseling is integrative, involving psychodynamic, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), motivational interviewing, mindfulness & hypnotherapy. As a Certified Holistic Health Coach, I also address nutrition, exercise & meditation. General: 2.0 hours Mental Illness: 1.5 hours