March 19^th marked the first day of spring. and with April upon us, it is finally starting to feel like spring. Flowers are beginning to bloom, the days are getting longer, and there is still light outside by the time many of you leave the office!  With the scent and excitement of spring upon us, I sat down to write this article, but had difficulty determining what to write about. I began to research the month of April and found several publications on matters that April is meant to draw national awareness to. It probably comes as no surprise given the simple joys which spring can bring that April is known as the month of hope. 

The Meriam-Webster Dictionary defines “hope” when used as an intransitive verb to mean to “cherish a desire with anticipation: to want something to happen or to be true.” Studies have shown that there can be a positive association between the act of hoping and lower stress levels.  Ironically while April is the month of hope, April also serves as National Stress Awareness Month. According to an article published by the American Bar Association Journal in January 2023, which cited to a recent analysis by the Washington Post of data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, law is the most stressful occupation in the United States. Further, according to an article published by Bloomberg Law in October 2023, regarding collected survey data, female lawyers work longer hours than their male counterparts and experience greater burnout.  If you are reading this article, this is probably not the first time you have been told that you chose a profession, which is statistically known to be more stressful, and the stress can disproportionately impact women. 

 How can the WWBA help? Through our organization’s social events, mentorship programs, and community involvement and initiatives, we offer the opportunity to create strong social bonds with our membership, which can be beneficial to your health and well-being.   We also offer several programs throughout the year, which promote self-care, stress-management, and have focused on various aspects of wellness. 

On November 7, 2023, Lauren Baptiste, Chief Empowerment Officer at Acheloa Wellness conducted a program on the importance of time management. During this program, Ms. Baptiste discussed the time mastery mindset, your current schedule, and how to manage your time more effectively.   On May 9, 2024, during Well-Being Week in Law (May 6^th through 10^th), Ms. Baptiste will be conducting another program on health and wellness. During this program she will focus on the "Billable-Hour Burnout" cycle and practical strategies to balance your personal needs with everyday professional obligations to help foster long-term success in an ever-demanding professional landscape.  During this same program, Belinda Jackson, founder of You Are What You Sleep, will also be presenting on the importance and benefits of sleep.

To raise awareness around mindfulness and wellbeing, during our WWBA January board meeting, Victoria Rivera, LCSW, Wellness Psychotherapist, spoke about various changes that one can implement in their day-to-day lives, to help promote their well-being, including breathing exercises.  In a continued effort to assist with stress management, we will also be hosting a general membership program on April 3, 2024, which will focus on the positive impact that mentorship can have on your legal career and your professional experiences.  The program is entitled “The Importance of Effective Mentorship: The WWBA’s Commitment to the Professional Growth of Future Lawyers.”  This program will emphasize the benefits of mentorship, why mentorship matters, how it can influence the professional trajectory of law students/young lawyers, and how the WWBA can help provide mentorship opportunities within your law firm/legal organization.

In addition to stress and hope, April also serves as national awareness month for several other important topics, including child abuse and maltreatment, as well as sexual assault. The WWBA has made efforts to raise awareness around these issues. On May 8th, the WWBA is co-sponsoring a program with Legal Services of the Hudson Valley on the anatomy of a hearing held under Section 1028 of the Family Court Act.  This Section of the Family Court Act affords individuals legally responsible for the care/supervision of a child who has been removed from their care to request an emergency hearing for the child’s immediate return.  Understanding how these hearings work, and the positive impact they can have on a family if effectively utilized, is a critical part of representing litigants in cases involving the child welfare system.

During my presidency, one of my main goals as many of you may recall has been to raise community awareness around domestic violence and sexual assault. On May 7^th, in furtherance of this goal, we will be hosting a program in collaboration with several agencies in the community that serve domestic violence and sexual assault victims, including the Pace Women’s Justice Center, My Sisters’ Place, Hope’s Door, and Legal Services of the Hudson Valley.  This program will address various topics that impact victims, including trauma-informed lawyering, high risk/lethality factors, as well as the difference between an order of protection (whether through the criminal and/or family court) and other types of civil orders.  Additionally, on May 16^th, the WWBA in collaboration with the Pace Women’s Justice Center and Hopes Door, will be hosting another program on cybersecurity.  The program will focus on the types of cybersecurity issues facing attorneys who work with survivors of intimate partner violence, sexual assault, stalking and related crimes, as well as ethical issues unique to the remote work environment, which impact the legal community. 

                                    
  

It is my hope that our prior programs, as well as our upcoming events and mentorship opportunities will continue to provide our members with several opportunities to bond with one another, discuss various community initiatives, and obtain practical legal tips. It is also my hope that our organization can help in managing your stress through our various health, wellness and mentorship programs. Please review our calendar for a complete list of upcoming events, including an upcoming primer on business valuations which will be held on April 17^th. The website link for further program details is https://wwbany.org/Calendar-and-Events?EventViewMode=1&EventListViewMode=2&SelectedDate=4/24/2024&CalendarViewType=1.

Cheers to a bright and informative spring, filled with more hope and less stress!!!