Pledge to Make Changes This Year
It’s not too late to make changes. Yes, January 1 has come and gone, but changes need to be made all year. It doesn’t matter if you make resolutions at the end of January or in August. The key is…
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Author: Stephanie Villinski
5 Self-Reflections for a Happy New Year
There’s too much to do before the end of the year. This is true; I’m not going to argue with you. However, I am going to add something else to your list. Don’t panic. I promise my suggested add-on will…
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Pledge of Professionalism Provides Foundation for Law Students
Students experience many emotions as they begin law school. Excitement, fear, and joy are just a few. Each year, the Illinois Supreme Court Commission on Professionalism – 2Civility welcomes first-year law students to the legal profession with an orientation program…
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A Thank You to Legal Aid Lawyers
It’s time to thank legal aid lawyers. The annual national Pro Bono Week (October 22nd-26th) has started. You probably think this blog is going to delve into why lawyers should do pro bono work. Think again. There is already plenty…
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Lawyers Must Be Present in the Moment
If lawyers are not well and present in the moment, they cannot competently do their jobs. This was the clear message throughout the Mindfulness in Law Society’s 2018 national conference entitled, Mindfulness and the Path to Lawyer Well-Being. The conference…
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Lawyers: Is Your Stress Management Toolkit Ready?
Stress and summer are words that should not go together. Summer should be about relaxing and recharging and maybe even a vacation. However, this year, fewer Americans (only 37% in 2018, down from 53% in 2017) say they can completely…
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The Time Is Now
“How was your day?” We all get asked this question regularly. However, besides billing our time, how many of us really pay attention to how we spend our time during the day? Why am I asking all these questions? Well,…
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Court Patrons Need to Be Heard
All Sally Smith wants is to be heard by the judge and the bank. Sally received court papers this month that the bank filed a foreclosure case against her. She lost her job six months ago and has not been…
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Don’t Look To Others To Close Justice Gap; Take a Look In the Mirror
Stop asking what the answer is, be the answer.” Toussaint Romain, former Assistant Public Defender of the Charlotte Mecklenburg Public Defender’s Office, challenged all attendees with this statement at the end of the third annual Illinois Supreme Court Commission on…
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You Are the Answer to the Access to Justice Gap
“Stop asking what the answer is, be the answer.” Toussaint Romain, former Assistant Public Defender of the Charlotte Mecklenburg Public Defender’s Office, challenged all attendees with this statement at the end of the third annual Illinois Supreme Court Commission on…
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The Benefits of Meditation Await You Counselor
Meditation is for lawyers. Yes, I said it and no, I have not lost my mind. In fact, I will even go a step further and say, “Lawyers are exactly the group of people who would benefit from meditation.” Before…
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Mentoring Plan Sets Course for Lawyer-to-Lawyer Mentoring Success
“Make sure you find a good mentor.” This was a constant piece of advice I heard before graduating from law school in 2003. Yet I would think to myself, “Great idea, but how do I find a good mentor?” The…
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