Compassion Fatigue and Trauma-Informed Legal Practice

There is a movement emerging through the legal profession that is challenging law schools, legal professionals, firms, and the courts to recognize and address the individual and cumulative cost of stress and trauma on the legal profession and the legal process. This program is presented by Patrick A. Barnes, a personal injury and estate planning attorney, and Michael F. Barnes, a therapist, author, and educator specializing in the area of trauma, addiction, and compassion fatigue. The goal of the program will be to identify the sources, symptoms, and costs of stress, trauma, and compassion fatigue in the legal profession. Organizational stressors (burnout) and operational stressors (secondary trauma) interweave into compassion fatigue, a leading cause of turnover, dissatisfaction, and reduced productivity. The presenters will discuss methods for creating trauma-informed practice, combating compassion fatigue, and improving staff satisfaction and organizational health. 

Learning Objectives:

1. Identify sources of stress and trauma experienced by clients and legal professionals in daily legal practice

2. Identify symptoms and sources of Organizational Stressors (i.e., Burnout) and Operational Stressors (i.e., Secondary Trauma) in Compassion Fatigue experienced by legal professionals

3. Recognize the cost of Compassion Fatigue to firms dealing with employee and organizational health

4. Advise legal professionals and senior leaders on methods for creating trauma-informed practice, combatting compassion fatigue, and improving staff satisfaction and organizational health