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Emotional Strain in Law: Identifying and Managing Empathic Overwhelm

Join us for a CLE webinar where we challenge the common misconceptions around 'compassion fatigue' in the legal profession. It's often noted that lawyers prioritize their clients' needs above their own, leading to personal and professional challenges. However, the true issue isn't compassion, but rather 'empathic overwhelm.' In this session, you'll discover the crucial distinctions between empathy and compassion and how these differences significantly impact your legal career and personal well-being. Led by Claire E. Parsons, a lawyer, author, mindfulness and compassion educator, and founder of the Brilliant Legal Mind blog, this session will equip you with practical strategies to nurture compassion, avoid overwhelm, and effectively handle the stresses of legal practice and everyday life.

Duration of this webinar: 60 minutes

Originally broadcast: November 11, 2025 10:00 AM PT

Webinar Highlights

This webinar is divided into section summaries, which you can scan for key points and then dive into the sections that interest you the most.

00:00 Introduction

Claire Parsons is introduced as the speaker, known for her expertise in attorney mental health and mindfulness. Claire discusses the concept of empathic overwhelm, differentiating it from compassion fatigue, and highlights its relevance in helping professions. She explains that compassion can be a solution to empathic overwhelm, rather than the problem itself. Claire shares her experience in school law and mindfulness practices, emphasizing the emotional challenges faced by lawyers. She outlines the symptoms of compassion fatigue, likening them to burnout, and stresses the importance of understanding these issues.

05:01 Understanding Empathic Overwhelm

Claire discusses the risk of compassion fatigue for lawyers, highlighting symptoms like emotional overwhelm and cynicism. She emphasizes the importance of recognizing these symptoms as red flags and seeking help when necessary. Claire explains how compassion fatigue can affect ethical duties and the importance of self-care in maintaining competence. She elaborates on the concept of competence, which involves thoroughness and preparation beyond mere knowledge. Claire stresses the need for emotional bandwidth and support in handling legal matters effectively. She highlights the importance of diligence and commitment in managing cases over extended periods. Claire underscores the role of emotional well-being in fulfilling professional responsibilities.

10:07 Managing Emotional Challenges in Law

Claire addresses the challenges of procrastination in difficult cases, attributing it to anxiety and caring too much. She discusses the importance of appropriate behavior before tribunals and maintaining professionalism despite adversities. Claire introduces mindfulness and compassion as tools to manage difficulties and enhance professional performance. She differentiates between empathy and compassion, explaining their distinct impacts on the brain and emotional responses. Claire emphasizes the importance of compassion in maintaining equanimity and helping clients effectively. She discusses the process of compassion, which involves awareness, connection, and willingness to help. Claire highlights the benefits of compassion, including positive hormonal responses and improved well-being.

26:09 Mindfulness and Compassion Practices

Claire clarifies that mindfulness is distinct from meditation, although meditation supports mindfulness practices. She explains the benefits of mindfulness in enhancing stress response, satisfaction, and efficiency at work. Claire describes mindfulness as the capacity for clear awareness and non-reactivity in situations. She emphasizes the synergy between mindfulness and compassion, likening it to a comfortable cave for perception. Claire outlines informal mindfulness practices, such as grounding and breath awareness, to cultivate stability and calm. She discusses the importance of non-judgment, non-doing, and intentionality in mindfulness practice.

41:14 Self-Care and the Window of Tolerance

Claire discusses the importance of self-care and the concept of the window of tolerance for emotional regulation. She introduces a framework for self-assessment, encouraging regular check-ins to identify personal needs. She describes a body scan meditation as a tool for relaxation and self-awareness. Claire highlights the importance of recognizing stress indicators in the body and taking appropriate actions to alleviate them. She discusses the role of compassion in fostering connection and addressing individual and community needs. Claire emphasizes the benefits of self-compassion and common humanity in managing stress and emotional challenges.

51:39 Building Resilience Through Connection

Claire suggests the best friend test as a method to practice self-compassion and reduce self-criticism. She discusses the "just like me" practice to foster empathy and understanding towards difficult individuals. She emphasizes the importance of human connection in managing stress and enhancing resilience. Claire outlines the basic elements of self-compassion: mindfulness, common humanity, and self-kindness. She provides practical examples of self-compassion in handling difficult situations and emotional challenges. Claire encourages exploring mindfulness practices and resources for further development and support.

Please note this AI-generated summary provides a general overview of the webinar but may not capture all details, nuances, or the exact words of the speaker. For complete accuracy, please refer to the original webinar recording.

Speaker

Claire E. Parsons Of Counsel
Bricker Graydon LLP

Claire E. Parsons is Of Counsel with Bricker Graydon LLP. She practices in the areas of school law, employment law, and litigation in both Kentucky and Ohio. In addition to being an experienced attorney, mom of two girls, and active community leader, Claire is a popular and well-known speaker and writer on the topics of attorney mental health, mindfulness, compassion, and stress management. She is the Chair of the wellness committee for the Ohio State Bar Association and Bricker Graydon. Read More ›

Continuing Legal Education (CLE) Credits

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California CLE

Status: Approved

Credits: 1.00 Wellness Competence

Earn Credit Until: June 30, 2026

New Jersey CLE

Status: Approved

Credits: 1.20 Ethics/Professionalism

Earn Credit Until: November 10, 2026

North Carolina CLE

Status: Approved

Credits: 1.00 Professional Well-Being

Earn Credit Until: February 28, 2026

Ohio CLE

Status: Approved

Credits: 1.00 Attorney Professional Conduct

Earn Credit Until: December 31, 2026

Texas CLE

Status: Approved

Credits: 1.00 Legal Ethics/Professional Responsibility

Earn Credit Until: October 31, 2026

This presentation is approved for one hour of Wellness Competence CLE credit in California, one hour of Professional Well-Being CLE credit in North Carolina, and one hour of Attorney Professional Conduct CLE credit in Ohio. This program has been approved by the Board on Continuing Legal Education of the Supreme Court of New Jersey for 1.20 hours of total CLE credit. Of these, 1.20 qualify as total hours of credit for Ethics/Professionalism. This course has been approved for Minimum Continuing Legal Education credit by the State Bar of Texas Committee on MCLE in the amount of 1.00 credit hours, of which 1.00 credit hours will apply to Legal Ethics/Professional Responsibility credit.

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