Band-Aids, Baby Steps, or Big Leaps: A Well-Being Culture Shift in Law
In 2016, two studies rocked our understanding of health and well-being in the legal profession. A year later, the National Task Force on Lawyer Well-Being issued a clarion call for change through a report and recommendations for the profession. But what, if anything, has changed?
Through her work as an advocate for lawyer well-being nationally, an adjunct law professor, former director of the ABA Center for Professional Responsibility, and director of risk control consulting at a global insurance company, Tracy Kepler brings a unique perspective to the topic of attorney health. In this talk, Tracy will address why including well-being in your firm’s business plan is essential, whether you are at a large firm, a small firm, or have a solo practice.
However, policies alone are not enough. She will also challenge the structures in the legal profession that perpetuate unhealthy behaviors. To change the trajectory of health in the legal field, lawyer well-being needs to move from aspirational conversations to concrete solutions for creating a healthy and thriving profession.
Speaker Bio
Tracy L. Kepler is the Risk Control Consulting Director for CNA’s Lawyers Insurance Program, where she designs and develops content and distribution of risk control initiatives relevant to the practice of law.
Prior to joining CNA, Tracy served as the Director of the American Bar Association’s Center for Professional Responsibility, Associate Solicitor in the Office of General Counsel for the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office, and Senior Litigation Counsel for the Illinois Attorney Registration and Disciplinary Commission.
Tracy currently serves as Secretary on the Board of the Institute for Well-Being in Law and was a member of the National Task Force on Lawyer Well-Being and an author of its Well-Being Report. She is also an Advisory Board Member of the Mindfulness in Law Society.