Strategic Resilience: Overcoming Challenges as a New Lawyer

This course is designed to equip professionals with tools and techniques to cultivate resilience as a defining character attribute by empowering effective stress management to navigate personal and professional challenges. Through actionable frameworks, participants to learn overcome obstacles impeding growth, and develop a mindset for continuous learning and improvement while learning how to deliver in high-pressure situations. Whether striving to enhance leadership, improve team dynamics, or achieve your personal best, this course will provide the foundation to thrive in the face of adversity.

Course Objectives:

Define resilience and how to actionably cultivate resilience as a character-defining attribute
Learn actionable strategies to manage stress to overcome personal and professional obstacles impeding professional development
Learn to identify and challenge limiting beliefs hindering professional and personal advancement
Cultivate a growth-oriented mindset to turn failures into opportunities for improvement and innovation
Explore techniques for sustaining motivation and focus during prolonged periods of high stress or workloads

Topics covered include:

Attorney Wellness Law Practice Legal Ethics

Agenda:

Introductory Overview
- Brief introduction of the presenter
- Statement of topics to be covered and anticipated takeaways
Defining Resilience & Attorney Well-Being

Identifying the problem
Reviewing the data on attorney well-being
Reviewing competence as a relevant model rule of professional conduct
Forms of self-sabotage
Defining resilience, mental fitness, & attorney well-being

Elements of Resilience

Awareness: how thoughts & beliefs impact actions
Perspective: building a vision & identifying values
How to cultivate presence and control
Defining mental toughness

Frameworks To Build Resilience

Straight line method
Evidence frame
10-Year future you frame
Passenger seat
Name your sacrifices
One more step

Resilience in the Legal Profession

Actionable mindfulness strategies for lawyers
Review & conclusion

Questions & Answers (as time permits)

Duration of this webinar: 60 minutes

Originally broadcast: April 18, 2025 9:00 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 and Speaker Background

Jonathan Z. Cohen is introduced as the speaker, with a diverse background in law, athletics, and philanthropy. Jonathan shares his personal experience with learning disabilities and identity crises during his formative years. He emphasizes the importance of guidance from mentors and the strategies he will discuss to overcome challenges.

05:59 Overcoming Personal Challenges

Jonathan shares frameworks and strategies he has developed over the past decade to overcome personal challenges. He emphasizes the importance of evidence-based approaches and anecdotes to illustrate the effectiveness of these strategies. New lawyers face a learning curve, balancing partner expectations and personal ambitions. Jonathan discusses reframing stress management and leaning into adversity to make the most of opportunities.

09:36 Building Resilience and Mental Toughness

Jonathan describes his journey of overcoming physical challenges, such as marathons and endurance events, to raise awareness for causes. He emphasizes the importance of building a baseline of proof to combat imposter syndrome. Jonathan's podcast features high performers who share insights on overcoming challenges and maintaining a productive mindset. He redefines resilience, focusing on adaptability and challenging limiting beliefs. Jonathan discusses cultivating a growth mindset and reframing stress management.

15:22 Work-Life Balance and Wellbeing

Jonathan explores the concept of work-life balance and the challenges attorneys face in maintaining mental wellbeing. He highlights the increase in depression and anxiety among attorneys, exacerbated by the pandemic and work pressures. Jonathan advocates for a holistic approach to wellbeing, emphasizing self-care practices and the importance of presence. He discusses the impact of burnout and the need for boundaries to prevent isolation and stress. Jonathan emphasizes the significance of intrinsic motivation and the pursuit of happiness as a skill and choice.

45:44 Resilience Frameworks and Strategies

Jonathan discusses the importance of self-awareness, perspective, and values in building resilience. He emphasizes the need for intentional thought and emotional control, advocating for practices like gratitude and movement. Jonathan highlights the role of service and purpose in cultivating resilience and overcoming challenges. He introduces resilience protocols, including awareness, perspective, values, presence, control, and mental toughness. Jonathan shares insights from high performers on mental toughness, emphasizing the importance of mindset and attitude.

56:52 Audience Q&A and Closing Remarks

Jonathan introduces resilience frameworks, such as the Straight Line Method and the Passenger Seat Exercise. He discusses overcoming imposter syndrome by listing evidence of achievements to build self-confidence. Jonathan emphasizes the importance of naming sacrifices to understand commitment and achieve desired outcomes. He advocates for envisioning advice from a future version of oneself to gain clarity and direction. Jonathan highlights the significance of intrinsic motivation and reframing challenges as opportunities.

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.

Continuing Legal Education (CLE) Credits

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California CLE

Status: Approved

Credits: 1.00 Wellness Competence

Earn Credit Until: June 30, 2026

South Carolina CLE

Status: Approved

Credits: 1.00 Substance Abuse/Mental Health

Difficulty: All Levels

Earn Credit Until: December 31, 2025

North Carolina CLE

Status: Approved

Credits: 1.00 Professional Well-Being

Earn Credit Until: February 28, 2026

This presentation is approved for one hour of Wellness Competence CLE credit in California, one hour of Substance Abuse/Mental Health CLE credit in South Carolina (all levels), and one hour of Professional Well-Being CLE credit in North Carolina.

Justia only reports attendance in jurisdictions in which a particular Justia CLE Webinar is officially accredited. Lawyers may need to self-submit their certificates for CLE credit in jurisdictions not listed above.

Note that CLE credit, including partial credit, cannot be earned outside of the relevant accreditation period. To earn credit for a course, a lawyer must watch the entire course within the relevant accreditation period. Lawyers who have viewed a presentation multiple times may not be able to claim credit in their jurisdiction more than once. Justia reserves the right, at its discretion, to grant an attendee partial or no credit, in accordance with viewing duration and other methods of verifying course completion.

At this time, Justia only offers CLE courses officially accredited in certain states. Lawyers may generate a generic attendance certificate to self-submit credit in their own jurisdiction, but Justia does not guarantee that lawyers will receive their desired CLE credit through the self-submission or reciprocity process.

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Speaker

Jonathan Z. Cohen Associate General Counsel, Business Strategist
PNY Technologies

Jonathan Z. Cohen is an attorney, speaker, podcaster, endurance athlete, and philanthropist. Jonathan currently works as the Associate General Counsel for PNY Technologies. Jonathan’s background includes five years of public service in two different countries as a Bronx Special Victims Division Criminal Prosecutor and IDF Infantry Combat Soldier. Jonathan’s community includes 20,000 followers across social media with his podcast streamed in 37 countries. Jonathan educates, inspires, and shares actionable insights to help thousands of ambitious professionals lead a purpose driven life through stories, frameworks, and systems.