Practicing law is stressful, but lawyers and judges who are involved in cases where the parties have experienced trauma may find themselves deeply affected by the individual’s trauma and can even experience post-traumatic effects themselves. Just as a victim experiences trauma in a way that can leave long-term post-traumatic effects, their lawyer’s ability to provide competent legal assistance can also be affected. The cumulative effect of this secondary trauma experience on lawyers or judges over time is known as vicarious trauma.

In today’s episode hosts Christine Bilbrey and Jamie Moore welcome Libby Clark and Dr. Kerry Murray O’Hara, the co-founders of The Humanized Lawyer Project, to discuss Vicarious Trauma and the impact on attorneys. 

Elizabeth Clark is a passionate advocate for systemic transformation in the legal profession and is a co-founder of The Humanized Lawyer Project, a groundbreaking initiative created with Dr. Kerry Murray O’Hara aimed at helping lawyers reclaim autonomy and resilience in a profession prone to burnout and systemic dysfunction. Ms. Clark served as the Co-Chair of the landmark New York Attorney Well-Being Task Force from 2021 to 2022 and as the inaugural chair of the New York State Bar Association Standing Committee on Attorney Wellbeing. She received her JD from Albany Law School and is a member of the New York State Bar. She specializes in real estate development, finance, and operational strategy. 

Dr. Kerry Murray O’Hara is the Clinical Director & Founder of DBT Wellness & Psychological Services in Saratoga Springs, NY. She has over 25 years of Clinical Psychology experience in various settings including inpatient, residential, forensic, outpatient, and academic. Dr. O’Hara’s area of expertise is Dialectical Behavioral Therapy, a highly researched and evidence based psychological treatment. Dr. Kerry received her doctorate from the California School of Professional Psychology and has held clinical positions at Boston University School of Medicine and McLean Psychiatric Hospital, Harvard Medical School. During the past 8 years, Dr. O’Hara has focused on the mental health crisis and wellness related to the field of law and has been named as a clinical consultant to the New York State Bar Association Lawyer Taskforce for Lawyer Wellbeing. She currently sits on two working subcommittees for the Wellbeing Taskforce addressing Occupational Policy and Wellness Programing.

This podcast has been approved by The Florida Bar Continuing Legal Education Department for 1.0 hour of General CLE credit including 0.5 hour of Ethics CLE credit and 0.5 hour of Mental Health and Wellness CLE credit. Course # 9087. 

REFERENCED RESOURCES: 

•  Attorney Wellness & Consulting
• The Humanized Lawyer Project
• Trauma, Mental Health and the Lawyer - New York State Bar Association 
• Finding the Compassion Balance: Mindful Lawyering & Vicarious Trauma (Webinar) - New York State Bar Association
• Report and Recommendations of the NYSBA Task Force on Attorney Well-Being (New York State Bar Association)
• Task Force on Mental Health and Trauma Impacted Representation (New York State Bar Association)
• Trauma-Informed (As a Matter of) Course by Natalie Netzel (American University Washington College of Law)
• The Impact of Secondary Trauma in the Legal Profession (LegalFuel Podcast)
• LegalFuel: The Florida Bar’s Practice Resource Center