New York City Bar Association Mindfulness & Well-Being in Law Community Events Yearbook 2020-2021 by NYCBA Mindfulness & Well-Being in Law Committee

Mindfulness and Well-Being in Law Committee

Community Events Yearbook 2020-2021

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Message from Committee Chair ………………………………………………………………………………3 Introduction and Acknowledgments …………………………………………………………………………4 Weekly Mindfulness Break Programs

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Yoga for Lawyers Programs ………………………………………………………………………………….6 Mindful Mondays: City Bar Series on Well-Being and Mindfulness ………………………………………9 a. CLE Programs ………………………………………………………………………………………………9 i. Starting the Year Right: Establishing a Practice of Mindfulness and Well-Being for Competence, Clarity, and Compassion …………………………………………………………………………………10 ii. Tips for Coping with Coronavirus-Induced Anxiety ……………………………………………………19 iii. Mindfulness Methods for Challenging Times: Cultivating Calm, Focus and Well-Being ………………20 iv. Practicing Mindfulness: Positive Negotiation Techniques ………………………………………………21 v. The Inner Work of Racial Justice: A Conversation with Rhonda V. Magee & Cecilia B. Loving………22 vi. Mindfulness Tools to Support a More Inclusive Legal Environment……………………………………24 vii. The Power of Inclusion: Being the Solution ……………………………………………………………26 b. Non-CLE Programs ………………………………………………………………………………………27 i. Healing with the Heart: A Conversation with Sharon Salzberg…………………………………………28 ii. Beating the 3:00 Crash: 4 Tips for Increased Energy Throughout the Day ……………………………29 iii. Build a Well-Rounded Life: Tools and Strategies to Create Balance ………………………………….30 iv. Mindfulness Practice to Support the Legal Front Lines …………………………………………………32 v. Positive Lawyering: Realizing Full Potential in Legal Practice …………………………………………33 vi. Mindfulness and Well-Being Toolkit ……………………………………………………………………34 vii. A Conversation with Sharon Salzberg- Real Change: Mindfulness to Heal Ourselves and the World …38 viii. The Upside of Stress for Lawyers ……………………………………………………………………...39 ix. Intuitive Adaptation: Maintaining Calm, Compassion and Confidence in the Midst of Chaos .………....40 x. Creativity & Mindful Movement ……………………………………………………………………....42 xi. Mindfulness in the First Response …………………………………………………………………......43 Event Sub-committee Members

……………………………………………………………………………44

Message from the Chair I am so grateful and excited to be taking on the role of Chair of the Mindfulness and Well-Being in Law Committee. As Chair of the Community Outreach subcommittee, I benefited greatly from working closely with our inimitable former Chair, Cecilia Loving, over the past few years. During a time of such despair and upheaval in the world we came together as a community to support each other and the greater City Bar membership and beyond. We developed programming directed at the enhanced self-care and wellness needs of attorneys during times of grief and isolation. The Community Outreach subcommittee started our weekly Mindfulness Breaks in March 2020 which continued weekly every Friday through June 2021 and we commenced our Yoga for Lawyers program in the Fall of 2020, both programs continue to be offered bi-monthly for the benefit of all City Bar members. I am so looking forward to working together creatively in service to each other. With love and gratitude, Lisa Podemski Lisa Podemski, Esq. is a graduate of Barnard College and NYU Law and a member of Phi Beta Kappa, Lisa is currently a lawyer for children at the Legal Aid Society. She is an active member of the organization's secondary trauma and wellness committees---creating and presenting trainings on preventing burn-out and teaching yoga and mindfulness practices to attorneys, social workers, interns and law students. She is a 500-hour registered yoga teacher who completed her yoga teacher and Urban Zen Integrative Therapist trainings with Rodney Yee and Colleen Saidman Yee at Yoga Shanti. Lisa is also attuned in Reiki 2. In her free time, she volunteers at Best Friends Animal Society’s kitten nursery and teaches yoga to people. She is passionate about sharing the gifts of mindfulness, yoga and wellness with others. Lisa developed and launched the City Bar’s Mindfulness Breaks and Yoga for Lawyers programs.

INTRODUCTION AND ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

LOOKING BACK TO SEE AHEAD

I had the honor to work closely with our former Chair, Cecilia B. Loving, while serving as a Chair of the Events subcommittee of the NYC Bar Association’s Mindfulness and Well-Being in Law Committee. As we planned events together, I learned how to lead gracefully through the lens of mindfulness, diversity, equity, accessibility, and inclusion. While planning the Mindful Mondays Program Series, as well as the powerful Yoga for Lawyers and weekly Mindfulness Breaks developed by our new Chair Lisa Podemski, I cultivated the following best practices through the events contained in this report: • supporting a multi-faceted approach to lawyer well-being, as guided by the ABA; • prioritizing delivery of effective mindfulness and well-being techniques to maintain sustainability and balance among work, life, and wellness; • role-modeling nonjudgment to support holistic practices for myself and others while building sustainability at the City Bar; and • promoting radical compassion to disrupt bias, raising awareness to racial justice advocacy and positive social change. In addition to Cecilia and Lisa, I would like to thank our Committee members and the following distinguished instructors, including Erin Gleason Alvarez, *Sheila Azad, Vaughn N. Browne, founding member Robert Chender, Professor Judi Cohen, *Julia Cohen, *Jordana Alter Confino, *Sharon Discorfano, Donnie DeSanti, *Craig Dobson, Peter Fodera, *Brooke Ford, *Sharonmoyee Goswami, Qalvy Grainzvolt, *Ian Group, Jon Krop, *Weijin “Gina” Leow, Professor Rhonda V. Magee, Dr. Jay Morris, *Sydney Naylor, *Rena Paul, *Lisa Podemski, Dr. Larry Richard, Sharon Salzberg, Dr. Dena Samuels, *Stacy Schaffer, *Pema Sherpa, *Wendy Silva, *Wendy Star, *Elina Teboul, Dr. Priyanka Upadhyaya, *Tracy Weinstein, *Abayomi Ajaiyeoba Whint (“Yomi”), *Kimberly Wong, and *Tsui Yee. We are also grateful to co-sponsoring Association Committees and Organizations for their generous support: Alternative Dispute Resolution, Charles M. Newman, Chair; Government Ethics & State Affairs, Jennifer G. Rodgers, Chair; Mental Health Law, Karen P. Simmons, Chair; Lawyer Assistance Program, Eileen Travis, Director; and former Office of Diversity and Inclusion Executive Director, Deborah Martin Owens. Last but certainly not least, we acknowledge the tireless support from the entire City Bar team, including but not limited to Sheila Boston, Bret Parker, Martha Harris, Laura Poles, Kristine Suarez, Joseph Cocchiara, Kevin Maghuyop, Ayesha Raees, Robert Villao, and Nigiema Dawkins. Thank you all for your contributions. Namaste, Nandar Win Kerr Secretary, Mindfulness and Well-Being in Law Committee *Instructors who were also Committee members. 4

Mindfulness Breaks To help support City Bar members during this challenging time, practitioners from the Mindfulness and Well-Being in Law Committee has been offering weekly 10-20 minute mindfulness practices. Classes alternate between seated meditations (focusing on mindfulness methods) and mindful movements (yoga practices focusing on gentle movement, body awareness methods and restorative practices). Perfect for any level including those who have never practiced meditation before.

Acce

Click on Dates to access videos: May 15, May 29, June 5, June 12, 2020 and November 20, 2021 5

Yoga for Lawyers

Past Yoga Sessions Thursday, November 5, 2020| Thursday, February 4, 2021| Thursday, February 18, 2021

Thursday, November 5, 2020 (video available) Instructor, Lisa Podemski (Bio on p. 46) This Urban Zen Restorative class will combine gentle yoga, breath awareness, restorative poses supported by props to enhance relaxation, and guided meditation. Take some time for some self-care and renewal. Set up your yoga mat and have the following ready to support your practice: two blankets or towels and two couch or bed pillows. Keep a chair nearby. ***

Wednesday, November 18, 2020 | Thursday, April 1, 2021 (video available) This class is for all levels and combines asanas (poses), pranayama (breath) and meditation. Bring yourself and a yoga mat, if you have one.

Instructor, Nico Allen is a Brooklyn-based conscious movement instigator, DJ, and theater artist. He has spent thousands of hours exploring how creative movement opens a potent space for play, processing, insight, imagination, and healing. His great joy in life is welcoming others to trust, express, and surrender to their own creativity. 7

Instructor, Rena Paul (Bio on p. 45)

Wednesday, December 2nd, 2020 This Yoga for Stress Relief class is appropriate for all levels. Sharon Discorfano will guide you through a practice of breath work, gentle movement, and yoga poses to relieve stress, promoting self-care and mindfulness to carry with you off the mat and into your everyday. Suggested props: three yoga blankets or large towels and an eye pillow or washcloth.

Instructor, Sharon Discorfano Former CEO of Lyric Yoga and Wellness (Tucson) for seven years; Yoga Alliance 500 RYT, E-RYT 200, YACEP, and currently Founder and CEO of National Parks Yoga. (full bio on p. 17) Wednesday, May 5, 2020 Restorative Yoga (video available)

Wednesday, December 16, 2020

| Thursday, January 14, 2021 Thursday, March 4, 2021|Thursday, April 15, 2021

Join us as members of the Mindfulness and Well-Being Committee who are also certified yoga teachers lead you through a 45-minute yoga session. Each class will be unique, but all will be created to guide lawyers in a mindful movement practice with the goal of creating a sense of greater inner peace and calm. this yoga class will combine breath awareness with a moderate vinyasa flow. Ideally, you will have a yoga mat, one block (or sturdy Tupperware or book), and one blanket or towel or pillow to support your practice. Instructor, Kimberly Wong, Attorney and Certified yoga instructor (has taught yoga for over 8 years and has completed more than 500 hours of teacher training.

Mindful Mondays City Bar Series on Well-Being and Mindfulness

CLE Programs

(Click on individual program hyperlinks for CLE availability)

Starting the Year Right: Establishing a Practice of Mindfulness and Well- Being for Competence, Clarity and Compassion Tuesday, January 21, 2020 | 9:30 am - 12:00 pm

Join the City Bar’s newest committee, the Mindfulness and Well-Being in the Law Committee, to discuss how you can improve your practice, reduce your bias, enlarge your community, be more selfcompassionate, and serve more competently through mindfulness and well-being tools. This program will discuss how mindfulness and well-being practices are paramount to adhering to our ethical obligations as members of the Bar. Participants will learn how to improve their emotional intelligence, become more inclusive, and cultivate more happiness and gratitude. Specifically, the goals of the CLE are the following: • To explain the findings of research on well-being and competence • To explore how mindfulness is essential to ethical competence and decision making including developing a Philosophy of Legal Practice • To impart tools for lawyer to use to enhance their well-being such as meditation techniques, self-compassion resources, gratitude practices and other methods to enhance attorney well-being

(Video CLE no longer available)

NY CLE CREDIT - 2.5 Diversity and Inclusion NJ: 2.5 general; CA: 2.0 D&I; PA: 2.0 general Connecticut: Available to Licensed Attorneys

Moderator Bio

Cecilia B. Loving, Esq. is Deputy Commissioner and Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer (“CDIO”) at the Fire Department of New York City, where she provides leadership for a positive and holistic work environment for over 17,000 members. She previously worked as a Law Enforcement Bureau Attorney and EEO Counselor for NYC’s Commission on Human Rights, as well as a litigator at Patterson Belknap Webb & Tyler LLP, Kramer Levin, and the Legal Aid Society. She chaired the Board of Directors for the Practicing Attorneys for Law Students, Inc., the first diversity and inclusion organization in the legal profession.

She is founder of Mindfulness Group at FDNY, where she publishes both a Diversity and Inclusion Newsletter and a Mindfulness Newsletter. In addition to obtaining her JD from NYU School of Law, Cecilia obtained her BFA from Howard University, MFA from UCLA and MDiv from NY Theological Seminary. She has received several awards, including but not limited to the FDNY Women's History Award and the Women on the Front Line of Gender Justice Award. She is author of several books, including but not limited to God is a Brown Girl Too: Prayers for Those Standing on the Edge of Greatness, and Ten Laws of Unlimited Success, as well as author of numerous articles such as "The Power of Inclusion: Treating Others Well is Essential to OUr Well-Being"; "MOre Support for Mindfulness: REduction of Implici Bias"; and "This Ancient Practice Helps Resolve Workplace conflict." 11

Panelist Bios

Jordana Alter Confino, Esq. is Director of Professionalism and Special Projects at Fordham Law School, where she is responsible for overseeing co-curricular programing for first year law students, as well as developing programs to promote student wellness and professionalism. She also serves as an Adjunct Professor of Law at Fordham, teaching the Peer Mentoring and Leadership course. Prior to joining Fordham, Jordana served as the Assistant Director of Academic Counseling and Acting Clerkship Advisor at Columbia Law School, where she continues to co-teach the Federal Appellate Court Externship. She previously clerked for the Hon. Robert D. Sack in the Second Circuit, and for the Hon. Paul A. Engelmayer in the S.D.N.Y., after receiving a J.D. in 2015 from Yale Law School and a B.A. in Psychology in 2012 from Yale University. In 2018, she earned a Certification in Applied Positive Psychology from the New York Open Center. In addition to serving on the Mindfulness & Well-Being in Law Committee, Jordana is a member of the Law School Assistance Committee of the ABA Commission on Lawyer Assistance Programs, a New York Regional Representative for the Yale Law School Executive Committee, and a Volunteer Career Advisor for the Yale Law School Career Development Office. She is also Vice Chair of the NALP Working Group on Attorney Well-Being.

Craig Dobson, Esq. practices both ethics and immigration law at Dobson Law LLC. He has a Bachelor of Arts in philosophy from Furman University and a Juris Doctor, cum laude, from New England School of Law. During law school, he received CALI awards in both the Law and Ethics of Lawyering and International Business Transactions and served as Editor-in-Chief of the New England Journal of International and Comparative Law. He previously served as UPL Liaison for the American Immigration Lawyers Association’s (AILA) Georgia-Alabama Chapter and was appointed by the Supreme Court of Georgia to serve as Chairperson of the District 1 UPL Committee for the State Bar of Georgia from 2014 to 2017. He is currently Chair of AILA’s National Ethics Committee and is a member of AILA National’s University Committee. Craig is also a member of the Association of Professional Responsibility’s (APRL) Cross-Border Practice Subcommittee, which is currently working on proposed amendments to current ABA multijurisdictional practice rules. Craig is now the APRL liaison to the ABA Standing Committee on Public Protection in the Provision of Legal Services. Additionally, he is a member of New York City Bar Association’s Mindfulness & Wellbeing Committee in Law Committee and is Co-chair of the AILA New York’s Law Practice Management Committee. In October 2017, he became one of the first National Board-Certified Health & Wellness Coaches.

Yes, No or Maybe: The Importance of Maintaining a Philosophy of Lawyering in an Era of Immigration Upheaval By K. Craig Dobson

Weiji n ( Gina) Leow

FOR PERSPECTIVE

Mindfulness and Well-Being Toolkit Weijin “Gina” Leow serves as the substitute secretary of the NYC Bar Association’s Mindfulness and Well-Being in Law Committee and Chair of its Toolkit Subcommittee. She is the Diversity and Inclusion Manager at the New York City Fire Department. She received her Master’s Degree in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at NYU Gallatin School of Individualized Study. Prior to earning her degree, she served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in China from 2014- 2016, instilling confidence in English-speaking skills to over 400 students. Gina is also a representative of The Ribbon International, a United Nations-affiliated NGO whose mission is to promote peace and protection of the earth. Gina helps lead the FDNY Mindfulness Group and provides leadership for FDNY’s Bravest Women Talk as a Certified Restorative Circle Keeper. She has a BA in International Relations from the City College of New York. Gina is also certified in Diversity and Inclusion by Cornell University. Her passion projects include enhancing connections amongst Returned Peace Corps Volunteers in New York City and developing a podcast which shares stories that humanize migrant discourse called “Coming to America.”

THE GRATITUDE RESET

Sheila Azad, Esq. bio on page 39.

CREATIVITY AS A SUPERPOWER

Wendy M. Star

Wendy M. Star, Esq. bio on page 46. Note: As the Chair of the Inclusion Sub-Committee, Wendy Star led her diverse team to deliver a virtual toolkit focused on inclusion and healing racial trauma: Tools to Create Inclusive Cultures, Support Racial Healing, and Enhance Well-Being.

Lisa Podemski, Esq. (bio on p. 47)

Vaughn N. Browne, Esq. is a labor and employment attorney with the Bureau of Legal Affairs at the Fire Department of New York City (“FDNY”), where he handles a broad range of litigation, investigations and contractual matters. Before joining FDNY, he prosecuted civil rights cases in the areas of employment, public accommodations and housing at the New York City Commission on Human Rights. He also serves as an arbitrator with the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority. Vaughn received his Bachelor of Science from the State University of New York College at Buffalo in Economics and Finance, and his Juris Doctor from the University of Miami School of Law. Prior to attending law school, he was a financial analyst with IBM, where he managed multimillion dollar budgets for senior executives. He is a longtime participant in several community and pro bono programs, including Legal Outreach Inc. and the Civil Court of the City of New York - Small Claims Part. Vaughn is a member of FDNY’s Mindfulness Group and enjoys being physically active and backpacking throughout the world.

CULTIVATING HAPPINESS Brooke Ford

Brooke Ford, Esq., bio on p. 47

Additional Instructor Sharon Discorfano, Esq. has an MA Literature, MA Industrial/Organizational Psychology. Legal work focused on animal law/legislation, and a member of NYC Bar's Animal Law Committee since 2013, as well as a member of Mindfulness and WellBeing in Law Committee. Outside of legal community: writer and editor for various publications; author of Teaching Poetry, Embracing Perspectives (Rowman and Littlefield, 2018), which emphasized using poetry as a means of fostering an appreciation for diversity as well developing students' ability to engage in respectful discourse. Former CEO of Lyric Yoga and Wellness (Tucson) for seven years; Yoga Alliance 500 RYT, E-RYT 200, YACEP, and currently Founder and CEO of National Parks Yoga. She enjoys the sense of community she has found in yoga rooms all around the world: even when she is in foreign places where people are speaking words she cannot understand, she knows she is right where she belongs. Her daily meditation practice based in Tibetan Buddhist tradition and teachings of Thich Nhat Hanh

Robert Chender has taught mindfulness for more than 30 years, leading meditation classes and retreats both in the U.S. and abroad, and is a certified teacher of Search Inside Yourself, the mindfulness and emotional intelligence training program developed and tested at Google. He frequently speaks at corporations, law firms, and nonprofits about the role and benefits of mindfulness and emotional intelligence in the workplace. Robert founded the NYC Bar Association Contemplative Lawyers Group in 2009 and for many years he and a small group of other attorneys and law professors taught meditation and gave monthly talks about the application of mindfulness to the law. In 2019, the group received formal Committee status and was renamed Mindfulness and Well-Being in Law Committee. Robert served as initial co-chair of the Committee

TIPS FOR COPING WITH CORONAVIRUS-INDUCED ANXIETY Dr. Larry Richard and Cecilia B. Loving

(video available click on title above to register)

Everyone in the legal community— lawyers, judges, law students, faculty, and other legal professionals— needs concrete actions that help cope with coronavirus-fueled anxiety. This course provides scientific-based tips, backed by years of solid research, to quiet the brain’s threat circuitry, activate the brain’s parasympathetic nervous system (the calming circuitry of the brain), and help develop stress-resistant habits for the future. By viewing this program, those participating will be able to do the following: • Be better able to navigate anxiety • Feel more calm, centered and relaxed • Learn to meditate • Enhance the ability to connect with others • Release tension • Work with other tools that have been proven to improve the immune system Notes on Faculty Dr. Larry Richard is recognized as the leading expert on the psychology of lawyer behavior. He has advised dozens of AmLaw 200 law firms on leadership, management, and related issues such as teams, change management, talent selection, assessment, and other aspects of strategic talent management. Widely known as an expert on the lawyer personality, he has gathered personality data on thousands of lawyers. A graduate of the University of Pennsylvania Law School, Dr. Richard practiced law as a trial attorney for ten years. He then earned a Ph.D. in Psychology from Temple University. For more than 20 years, he has provided consulting services exclusively to the legal profession. Formerly a partner with Altman Weil, and more recently the head of the Leadership & OD Practice at Hildebrandt International, in 2011 he established his own consulting firm, LawyerBrain LLC, which focuses on improving lawyer performance through personality science. He focuses on resilience, change management, leadership, and talent issues. He is a frequent author and speaker on the use of positive psychology and applied behavioral science in helping law firms to succeed. He is a Gallup- certified Strengths Coach, and a licensed user of the MBTI, DiSC, and 15 other assessment tools. Cecilia B. Loving’s bio can be found on page 36.

Monday, April 20, 2020 | 11:00 A.M. -12:30 P.M.

Tips for Coping with Coronavirus Induced Anxiety: What Lawyers Can Do to Thrive Durin g the Crisis Co-Instructors:

Cecilia B. Loving,

Dr. Larry Richard,

Deputy Commissioner, FDNY

LawyerBrain LLC

MINDFUL MONDAYS Join us April 27, 2020 11:00 A.M. to 12:30 P.M.

Presented by

Jon Krop Mindfulness Methods for Challenging Time: Cultivating Calm, Focus, and Well-Being T

Note: CLE video for this program is no longer available.

In this workshop, lawyer and mindfulness teacher Jon Krop shares the skills to cultivate the calm, clarity, and focus that can be so elusive during this time of crisis. Jon teaches a simple, effective sitting meditation practice and other mindfulness tools tailored to a lawyer's unique challenges and busy workday. He guides participants through short exercises that sharpen focus, calm the mind, and cultivate resilience in the face of anxiety and stress. Instructor Bio Jon Krop, the founder of Mindfulness for Lawyers, graduated from Harvard Law School, cum laude, and Brown University, magna cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa. After law school, he clerked on the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit and worked as a litigator at public interest law firms in Los Angeles and New York City. Jon has taught mindfulness at Harvard, Yale, the Pentagon, and more than 50 top law firms. Jon has practiced mindfulness since 2006 and has studied with teachers from around the world, including psychologists, neuroscientists, and traditional Buddhist masters. In 2014, Jon completed a seven-month silent meditation retreat.

PRACITCING MINDFULNESS: POSITIVE NEGOTIATION TECHNIQUES Erin Gleason Alvarez Monday, May 11, 2020 | 11:00 A.M. - 12:15 P.M. What in the world do negotiation and mindfulness have in common? Quite a lot actually. If negotiation is a dialogue in which two (or more) people seek to find a solution to a problem… And mindfulness is the practice of maintaining a non-judgmental state of complete awareness… Then Mindful Negotiation is:

The practice of conferring with others to derive some mutual benefit while staying present, focused, and proceeding

without judgment. This positive approach helps us to move away from the competitive, combative and otherwise stressful ways in which negotiation is often characterized. And THIS is important because when you approach a negotiation from a place of focus, positivity and non-judgmental awareness, you tend to have a better experience in the negotiation itself – along with better outcomes. This program will explore the positive impact of mindfulness in our negotiation lives. Over the course of this ninety-minute program, we will explore:

How mindfulness and negotiation intersect Strategies for incorporating lessons from mindfulness at the negotiation table, including

active listening, cultivating calm, and releasing judgments you may harbor about your

counterparty, your own abilities, or the negotiation process itself. Instructor Bio

Erin Gleason Alvarez is an independent arbitrator and mediator with nearly 20 years of experience in the arbitration and ADR fields. She has served as tribunal chair, sole arbitrator, arbitrator in emergency proceedings, and also mediator in cases relating to commercial matters and insurance disputes. Ms. Gleason is also the Founder & CEO of Take Charge Negotiations, LLC, a company that provides corporate training in mindful negotiation techniques. She holds an LLM from the Straus Institute for Dispute Resolution at Pepperdine University. Note: Video for this program is not available.

“THE INNER WORK OF RACIAL JUSTICE: A CONVERSATION WITH RHONDA V. MAGEE AND CECILIA B. LOVING”

)

Rhonda V. Magee and Cecilia B. Loving Monday, June 15, 2020 | 11:00 A.M. – 12:00 P.M.

Lawyer, author, mindfulness teacher, and storyteller Rhonda V. Magee will be interviewed by Mindfulness and Well-Being Chair Cecilia B. Loving to discuss how mindfulness and compassion practices help disrupt bias and bring about social change based on Magee's new book, The Inner Work of Racial Justice. This course will provide insight, tools and practices that address unconscious bias, microaggressions, institutionalized racism, and systemic injustices. Although most organizations address diversity and equity, rarely is inclusion addressed and how we can navigate beyond the safety of those we refer to us "us" to realize our connection with those we perceive as "them." The course will share how the practice of mindfulness provides awareness, insight and resilience, expands awareness of racism and provides tools for engaging in transformative social change. (click title above to register to view video)

Notes on Faculty

NY CLE CREDIT - 1.0 Diversity and Inclusion NJ: 1.0 general; CA: 1.0 D&I; PA: 0.5 general Rhonda V. Magee is Professor of Law at the University of San Francisco. A storyteller with the heart of a poet, she is an internationally recognized thought and practice leader on integrating Mindfulness into Higher Education, Law and Social Justice and a Fellow of the Mind and Life Institute. She currently serves as the Chair of the Board of the Search Inside Yourself Leadership Institute. Professor Magee is the author of the book The Inner Work of Racial Justice: Healing Ourselves and Transforming Our Communities through Mindfulness (2019).

Cecilia Loving (bio on p.36)

MINDFULNESS TOOLS TO SUPPORT A MORE INCLUSIVE LEGAL ENVIRONMENT Cecilia B. Loving, Esq. and Dr. Dena Samuels

Monday, August 3, 2020 | 11:00 A.M. – 12:15 P.M. With the death of George Floyd, many leaders and organizations are even open and receptive to bringing about change and are actively engaged in creating a more diverse and inclusive work environment. Join Deputy Commissioner and Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer Cecilia B. Loving and Mindfulness and Social Justice Expert Dena Samuels as they share tools about how to create a more inclusive work environment through mindfulness and other restorative practices. Through Commissioner Loving’s work in moving beyond compliance with compassion, connection and commitment for racial healing and Dr. Samuel’s research on the “Mindfulness Effect” and social justice, they will share tools for how legal practitioners and administrators can be more proactive in supporting a more inclusive work environment. Together, they will teach how we can lean into our discomfort to be more accountable to the necessary work of inclusion; how we can learn to connect with everyone regardless of their differences; how we can ‘hold space’ to embrace the stories of everyone; how we can reduce implicit bias and develop better judgment; and how we can employ mindfulness tools to enhance our emotional intelligence and thus our ability to be appreciative leaders.

Well- Being and Mindfulness Tools to Support a More Inclusive Work Environment

NY CLE CREDIT - 1.0 Diversity and Inclusion NJ: 1.0 general; CA: 1.0 D&I; PA: 0.5 general

2020 © Cecilia B Loving

Cecilia B. Loving, Esq. https://www.amazon.com/Cecilia-B-Loving https://mindfulnessgroup.blog/ https://godisabrowngirltoo.wordpress.com/about Pronouns: she/her/hers

Dena Samuels, PhD www.denasamuels.com twitter: @denasamuels FB: “follow” Dena Samuels Consulting Pronouns: she/her/hers

Notes on Faculty Cecilia B. Loving (bio on p. 36) Dena Samuels, PhD serves as a mindfulness-based diversity, equity, and inclusion author, speaker, leadership trainer, and consultant. As an awardwinning tenured professor, Dr. Samuels taught at the University of Colorado – Colorado Springs for 20 years while consulting nationally and internationally. She now consults full-time on mindful, inclusive leadership development, and remains on faculty at the University. Dr. Samuels is author of The Mindfulness Effect: An Unexpected Journey to Healing, Connection, and Social Justice; The Culturally Inclusive Educator: Preparing for a Multicultural World; and The Matrix Reader: Examining the Dynamics of Oppression and Privilege. She is an expert in mindfulness and social justice. Her passions include inspiring people to raise their personal and social awareness to live more fulfilling, connected, and meaningful lives; and assisting organizations, campuses, and corporations in building more diverse, equitable, and inclusive cultures. For more, go to https://www.denasamuels.com/

THE POWER OF INCLUSION: Being the Solution Cecilia B. Loving Monday, May 10, 2021 | 11 A.M -12:00 P.M. With continued violence against Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC), including violent racism by law enforcement and hate crimes against our Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) community, many of us are saddened, frustrated, and even depressed about the need to see radical change. We long for a quick fix, but the real work necessary to support a more diverse, equitable, accessible, and inclusive work environment requires that we help bring change by changing ourselves. Join Deputy Commissioner and Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer Cecilia B. Loving as she shares her perspective on how to create a more inclusive world by being the solution. So often we look beyond ourselves for change when the real change starts within. Through Commissioner Loving’s work on Meditating with Compassion, Healing with Generosity, and Leading with Love, she will share tools on how legal practitioners and administrators can develop personal practices to be more proactive in supporting a more inclusive work environment. She will teach the importance of welcoming yourself to uplift others, honoring your purpose to give your best, being silent to listen to what is important, sharing your story to find common ground, walking in balance to achieve harmony, leading change to reduce implicit bias, and developing the tools to co-create a better work environment. Cecilia B. Loving (bio on p. 36) TOOLS TO CREATE INCLUSIVE CULTURES, SUPPORT RACIAL HEALING, AND ENHANCE WELL-BEING

The Power of Inclusion Video NY CLE CREDIT - 1.0 Diversity and Inclusion NJ: 1.0 general; CA: 1.0 D&I; PA: 0.5 general 26

Mindful Mondays: City Bar Series on Well-Being and Mindfulness Non-CLE Programs

Healing with the Heart: A Conversation with Sharon Salzberg Sharon Salzberg and Cecilia B. Loving. Esq.

Monday, May 4, 2020 | 11:00 A.M. - 12:15 P.M.

SHARON SALZBERG

Sharon Salzberg is the world's leading expert on mindfulness and loving-kindness and NY Times best-selling author. Along with Cecilia Loving's focus on the application of lovingkindness to diversity and inclusion, they will focus on compassion, connection and well-being and how the current situation underscores the importance of being kind to one another and how the power of love and inclusion not only makes us feel good, it also enhances our immune system. Instructors Bios on p.38 and p. 36

In one of Sharon's books, “Real Happiness”, she shares 10 tips for well-being, which we will focus on: • Thinking of kindness as a strength, not as a weakness • Looking for the good in yourself, which helps us see the good in others • Remembering that everyone wants to be happy • Recollecting those who have helped or inspired us • Practicing at least one act of generosity a day • Doing lovingkindness meditation • Listening • Including those who seem left out • Refraining from speaking ill of others • Walking a mile in another person’s shoes before you pass judgment

BEATING THE 3:00 CRASH: 4 Tips for Increased Energy Throughout the Day Tracy J. Weinstein and Donnie DeSanti Monday, May 18, 2020 | 11:00 am - 12:15 pm If the 3:00 crash at work isn't difficult enough, now working from home leaves us a few feet from kicking up our feet and laying on the couch or bed. Instead, keep your energy up naturally with these 4 tips on your way from the bedroom to the boardroom and courtroom. Instructor Bios Donnie DeSanti is a health & wellness coach teaching people to lose weight and regain their energy naturally so they never diet again, ever. Before coaching, he battled ADHD and medications before making changes in his diet and lifestyle. He has successfully been medication-free for over 20 years through natural methods. It has become his passion to help others rescue back their health and enjoy life to their fullest potential. Learn more about rescuing back your own health by connecting with him in his Facebook group at lifeinbalancetribe.com.

-Health & Wellness Coac h -Helped 100’s of people rescue their health . -Anti-diet, all natural methods. -Healthy lifestyle change s

Tracy J. Weinstein practices civil litigation. She has been a member of the Mindfulness and Well-Being in Law Committee since its inception. Tracy played competitive sports through college. As she began her career, she found that a mindfulness practice and a focus on well-being filled the void of having coaches and teammates constantly around to keep her focused and mentally balanced, whether it’s in the courtroom or on a run.

BUILDING A WELL-ROUNDED LIFE: Tools and Strategies to Create Balance Pema Sherpa and Stacy Lefkowitz Schaffer, Esq. Monday, June 1, 2020 | 11:00 A.M - 12:15 P.M. This presentation will examine the emphasis on productivity and the pursuit of and commitment to work as an ideal for personal fulfillment juxtaposed to the philosophy of Purusartha, translated as the Pursuits of Life. According to this philosophy, fulfillment is the result of finding coherence between the four domains of life, namely, Career, Moral duties, Pleasure, and Freedom. The presenters will offer a workshop to demonstrate how one can realistically incorporate these pursuits into day-to-day life and enhance one’s ability to find harmony between different pursuits in life. The information and practices presented are relevant to participants’ general well-being and applies specifically to the current climate of stress during the COVID-19 outbreak. The presentation: • seeks to create awareness around the idea that lawyers’ identities are enmeshed with the work we perform to the exclusion or the diminution of other, important areas of life. An adjunct objective of this theme is to explore the emotional impact on a person when one loses that work identity through job loss or through crises, such as the current pandemic, where a search for larger meaning becomes more prevalent; • offers the practice of acceptance, as an antidote for the emotional and mental upset that occurs when people generally, and lawyers in particular, cannot control their environment and experience discomfort and disorientation, as a result of the loss of control; and • will encourage participants to take more of an expansive attitude towards prioritizing equilibrium in their lives, and give them mindfulness tools to apply the practices explored in this presentation in their daily lives

Instructor Bios

Pema Sherpa, Born and raised in Nepal, Pema Sherpa has been training in mindfulness principals for over two decades. She is a mindfulness teacher & researcher, and consultant. Having earned her Master’s from Harvard University, she now combines her background in psychology and philosophy to research mindfulness at NYU. She is the founder of Pema Solutions, where she provides mindfulness informed implicit bias training as well as mindfulness informed wellbeing training to corporations. In her work, she borrows from psychology and the robust philosophical wisdom of mindfulness tradition.

Stacy Lefkowitz Schaffer (bio on p. 46)

MINDFULNESS PRACTICE TO SUPPORT THE LEGAL FRONT LINES

Judi Cohen

Monday, June 8, 2020 | 11:00 A.M. – 12:30 P.M.

Lawyers position themselves on the front lines of personal, moral, ethical and cultural battles – and right now, on the legal front lines of the pandemic. We work in the midst of conflict and hostility. We signed up for that and we’re good at it. Some might say we excel on the battleground. And yet, being a truly effective advocate requires that we remain passionate without becoming combative, and that we protect our own wellbeing and not succumb to feeling overwhelmed or embattled. In fact, we have an ethical obligation to do this, not only for the sake of our own wellbeing but also to protect the wellbeing of our clients, communities, and society, especially during COVID-19. This program will explore: 1. How to better understand the legal mind. 2. How to cultivate intentional states of mind, and choose which states of mind to use, for greater effectiveness and wellbeing. 3. The role of mindfulness meditation in the understanding and cultivation of the mind. Instructor Bio Judi Cohen founded Warrior One, a preeminent provider of mindfulness training for lawyers in

the U.S. and internationally, and leads all of its programming including the Wake Up Call, a

20minute, a weekly online mindfulness gathering for legal professionals. Judi is also a lecturer in

mindfulness at Berkeley Law, and the Teachers Division Chair of the Mindfulness in Law Society.

Mindfulness for the Legal Mind Judi Cohen

Berkeley Law, Warrior One Judi@WarriorOne.com

Positive Lawyering: Realizing Full Potential in Legal Practice Elina Teboul Monday, June 22, 2020 | 11:00 A.M. – 12:15 P.M. Conversations around attorney well-being are abuzz, and the voices have increased in volume, finally shifting from a low hum to a loud siren. Join us for a discussion on how the legal industry can use positive psychology to counteract the many structural professional concerns faced by attorneys. It’s time to pave the way for the future of a happy, healthy, purposeful and successful profession through the applications of the science of happiness. This program will help: - Understand the science of positive psychology and be inspired to transform your life through its practical applications - Cultivate a positive mindset shift and build capacity for cultivating positive relationships, gratitude and empathy - Explore possible solutions for the broader legal industry

Elina Teboul, J.D., M.A. is an executive performance coach. She founded The LightUp Lab to inspire and empower professionals and organizations through positive psychology and mindset training. She began her career as an investment management attorney at the law firm Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP and the Global Markets Department of Credit Suisse. Working with large clients on complex financial and corporate issues, with a focus on structuring and compliance of hedge funds and private equity funds. Elina is avidly working to change the culture of the legal profession and is a frequent writer and speaker on lawyer personal and professional development and a guest lecturer at leading academic institutions, including Penn Law, Fordham Law and Columbia Law. Elina is passionate about philanthropy and social entrepreneurship and previously served as global philanthropic project adviser for the Allan & Gill Gray Foundation. Elina has completed the Internal Coaching Intensive through the Columbia Executive Coaching Program and is currently furthering her executive coaching skills with the Advanced Coaching Intensive. She holds an M.A. n Psychology from Columbia University, Teacher’s College, a B.A in Economics from New York University and a J.D. from Columbia Law School. 33

Mindfulness and Well-Being Toolkit Monday, September 14, 2020 | 11:00 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. This course provides an overview of the six dimensions of well-being as identified by the American Bar Association: occupational satisfaction, emotional needs, physical fitness, intellectual endeavors, spiritual development and social connection. Program co-instructors will discuss the significance of the dimensions in their lives, cover the breadth of resources in each section, highlight key resources, and how these resources will help improve your mental and emotional wellness. This course will benefit everyone in the legal community – lawyers, judges, law students, faculty and other legal professionals. The Committee's Toolkit will be introduced at this program. By viewing this program, the participants will be able to: • Better understand the various dimensions of well-being • Discover new mindfulness and wellness tools, including books, articles, podcasts, mobile applications and mindful exercises • Incorporate stress reliefs practices throughout the workday Mindfulness and Well-Being Toolkit Flipping Book

Panelist Bios

Ian Group runs the Customer Success team at ProDeal, a deal closing platform for real estate finance. Prior to joining ProDeal, Ian was a 6th year associate in the real estate group at Hunton & Williams. Ian has maintained a mindfulness practice since 2014, which practice has been instrumental both professionally and personally. Ian has been a member of the Mindfulness & Wellbeing in the Law Committee since 2020 and is certified in mindfulness-based stress reduction.

Nandar Win Kerr, Chair of the Events Subcommittee, has an Inclusion program, LL.M. in International Law and Justice from Fordham Law Thurgood Marshall School, a B.A in Public Affairs from SUNY- Empire State Professional College, and an LL.B. from Yangon University, Myanmar, in Development Series. 2006, where she was later licensed as an attorney. She was a recipient of Fordham’s Archibald R. Murray Public Service Award for her dedication and achievements in pro bono and public interest work. She has worked with the National Association of Immigration Judges and Judge Mimi Tsankov, the New York Legal Assistance Group (NYLAG) Pro Se Litigants Clinic, the Fordham Courtroom Advocates Project in Brooklyn Family Court; and the Consumer Law Advocates' Civil Legal Advice and Resource Office, representing programs to assist consumers sued by creditors in NYC, and the NYLAG LegalHealth Unit, assisting veterans. She has also volunteered for the City Bar's Office for Diversity and Inclusion.

Gina Leow is the Chair of the Toolkit Subcommittee and substitute secretary of the Mindfulness and Well-Being in Law Committee. Growing up as an Asian American in a Greek household made her more curious and mindful of the cultural diversity around her, especially living in Queens, one of the most ethnically diverse urban areas in the world. Her love of volunteerism led her to teach English to college students in Sichuan, China from 2014-2016 with the United States Peace Corps. Upon returning to the U.S., she created New York University's first M.A. program in Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. She is now the Diversity and Inclusion Manager at the Fire Department of New York City. She has certification in Diversity and Inclusion from Cornell University and is a trained restorative circle keeper. Gina enjoys a variety of mindfulness practices such as meditation, yoga, Pilates, and mindful eating.

Cecilia B. Loving is Deputy Commissioner and Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer of the NYC Fire Department, where she provides leadership for over 17,000 employees. She has also served as Law Enforcement Counsel at the NYC C ommission on Human Rights, as well as Counsel at Patterson Belknap, and a litigator at both Kramer Levin and the Legal Aid Society. Loving is Chair and Co-Founder of the City Bar’s Mindfulness and Well-Being Committee. She is Founder of FDNY’sMindfulness Group and Mindfulness Newsletter. She obtained a Juris Doctor from NYU, an MFA from UCLA, and M Div from NY Theological Seminary, and a BFA from Howard University. She is a member of the Mayor’s Taskforce on Racial Inclusion & Equity, the Citywide Roundtable Leadership Council for leadership committed to circle-keeping and restorative practices, and the National Coalition for Racial Justice. She is author of nine books, and numerous articles and blogs.

Wendy Silva serves as an Associate Court Attorney assisting families in navigating trust and estate matters filed in the Surrogate’s Court. She previously worked as a Senior Staff Attorney at a legal services organization serving low-income women where she trained and mentored attorneys in the private sector to provide pro bono representation. She has provided direct representation to clients in their family, matrimonial and immigration matters throughout New York City and supervised the first Domestic Violence Legal Project in Northern Manhattan. She has worked on a wide range of legal issues that challenge the disruption of clients’ legal right to appropriate education, housing, public benefits and medical care. She volunteers as a Community Mediator and Arbitrator and is a facilitator of Parent Education classes in both English and Spanish. Since 2010, her mindfulness practice exploring various aspects of meditation has served as a welcomed journey of self-exploration and integration into how she practices law. She looks forward to continuing to find new ways to integrate mindfulness practices into legal settings and sharing these benefits with her colleagues.

Abayomi Ajaiyeoba Whint (“Yomi”) is an FDNY Legal Enforcement Attorney. She previously worked as an Assistant Corporation Counsel at the New York City Law Department, as well as a Deputy Managing Attorney with the Office of Administrative Trials and Hearings. Yomi is an experienced litigator, certified mediator, arbitrator and Restorative Circle Keeper. Yomi is enthusiastic about community service. She has organized pro bono clinics in community settings; volunteers as an arbitrator in Small Claims Court and the Brooklyn Bar Association’s Part 137 Fee Dispute Committee; and served as a past President of the Nigerian Lawyers Association. She has a featured essay in the publication, Conquering the Bar Exam, Insight for First Generation and Minority Law Students and Graduates. In her spare time, she enjoys singing with her church’s gospel choir, writing poetry and short stories.

Tsui Yee is the Principal Attorney at Law Offices of Tsui H. Yee P.C., where she practices immigration law representing clients in a variety of immigration matters, including family- and employment- based applications for permanent residence, nonimmigrant work visas, defense in removal (deportation) proceedings, naturalization applications, and applications for various waivers of removability. Tsui has presented and spoken at numerous continuing legal education seminars regarding various aspects of immigration and nationality law and law firm practice management. Tsui enjoys a variety of spiritual and mindfulness practices, including meditation, yoga, breathwork, and gardening.

A Conversation with Sharon Salzberg- Real Change: Mindfulness to Heal Ourselves and the World Sharon Salzberg & Cecilia B. Loving, Esq. Monday, October 5, 2020 | 11:00 A.M. – 12:00 P.M

Join us in conversation with Mindfulness Expert Sharon Salzberg, one of the most prominent figures in the field of meditation, as she discusses Real Change: Mindfulness to Heal Ourselves and the World. With this multi-pandemic dealing with dis-ease in body, economy and spirit, causing anger, grief, and pain, we are feeling more stressed out and hopeless than ever. In Real Change, Sharon Salzberg prophetically shares sage advice and indispensable techniques to help our physical, emotional and spiritual well-being. Sharing the wisdom of veteran activists and social-change agents, she offers practical advice to foster transformation in both ourselves and in society. Support the powerful work of Salzberg, which culminates in her important voice and vision of how we can tame our inner critic, cultivate a sense of commitment and stay engaged in the struggle for social change. Real Change provides the fundamental principles and practices to help us all take the next step into a better world. Instructor Bios Sharon Salzberg, a pioneer in the field of meditation, a world-renowned teacher, and best-selling author, has played a pivotal role bringing meditation and mindfulness into mainstream American culture since 1974. She is cofounder of the Insight Meditation Society, in Barre, Massachusetts, and has authored 12 books, including the New York Times best-seller, Real Happiness, her seminal work, Lovingkindness, and Real Love: The Art of Mindful Connection. Her newest book, Real Change: Mindfulness to Heal Ourselves and the World is forthcoming in June 2020. Acclaimed for her down-to-earth and relatable teaching style, Sharon offers a secular, modern approach to Buddhist teachings, making them instantly accessible. Her writing can be found on Medium, On Being, the Maria Shriver blog, and Huffington Post. Sharon is also the host of her own podcast, The Metta Hour, with more than 90 episodes featuring interviews with the top leaders and voices in the meditation and mindfulness movement. Learn more about this presenter’s work: sharonsalzberg.com . Cecilia B. Loving (bio on p. 36) 38

The Upside of Stress for Lawyers Dr. Priyanka Upadhyaya and Sheila Azad, Esq. While there are many rewarding aspects to practicing law, there are often many pressures as well. Lawyers are among the most stressed professionals. Though stress is often viewed as a negative, it can be a helpful part of life. New research indicates that stress can help us become more resilient, happy, healthy and productive if we embrace it. Even when we cannot eliminate or fix stress, we can learn to take advantage of it. This program will explore the importance of examining and changing our relationship to stress, the hidden opportunities in stress, and how lawyers can harness stress to create more meaning in work and life.

Dr. Priyanka Upadhyaya is a licensed psychologist who specializes in psychotherapy and coaching of high achieving professionals and couples dealing with anxiety, depression, burnout and trauma. She collaborates with her clients to navigate and transform the effects of these conditions and major life transitions like infidelity, heartbreak, losses and divorce into healthy relationships, thriving health and self-image. She partners with her clients through resilience, mindfulness and evidence-based psychotherapies with a view of transforming stress into thriving. She also consults with various companies and professional practices on creating a mental health informed work culture and transforming employee stress into emotional resilience, health and happiness at work. Sheila Azad is an executive and personal coach for lawyers looking to increase personal effectiveness and become sustainable leaders in work and life. Sheila began her career as an attorney in corporate law firms in New York City. As an associate at Sidley Austin LLP, her practice focused on structured finance transactions. As an associate and then counsel at Akin, Gump, Strauss, Hauer & Feld LLP, her practice focused on the formation and operation of hedge funds and private equity funds. In this practice, Sheila advised investment managers in connection with their ongoing operational activities. As an executive and personal coach, Sheila is frequently sought out to help clients navigate life and career transitions and create positive change. She is a trusted listener and her clients find her perceptiveness and intuition particularly helpful. Sheila works with clients to leverage their unique talents and achieve success in ways that are meaningful and rewarding. Sheila received her BA from Barnard College, Columbia University and her JD from Fordham Law School in New York. She received her coaching credential from Coaching For Transformation, a coaching program offered through Leadership That Works. She is also trained to provide neuroleadership assessments and coaching from Leading Brains in Switzerland.

Intuitive Adaptation: Maintaining Calm, Compassion and Confidence in the Midst of Chaos Dr. Jay Morris

Monday, December 7, 2020 | 11:00 A.M. – 12:00 P.M In a world crying out for help, the greatest opportunity to make lasting change is to start with self. Dr. Jay Morris will lead a one-hour interactive session that focuses on ways to cope with mounting stress and finding the strength within ourselves to lead in the midst of chaos. Come with an open mind and heart, so you can leave with resources and insights that will enable you to build confidence, create a personal development plan and peek into your personal power. This program will • introduce a new leadership practice entitled, “Intuitive Adaptation” • learn how to embrace your talents and gifts to bring about personal well-being • recognize the importance of asking for help Dr. Jay Morris is the Vice President of Education at Yale New Haven Health System and the Executive Director of the Institute for Excellence (IFE) where he is responsible for leadership development, e-learning, executive coaching, succession planning, organization development and a simulation center. Jay received a BA in sociology from North Carolina Central University, a JD from Woodrow Wilson College of Law and both his MA in Organization Development and PhD in Corporate Instructional Design from Loyola University in Chicago. He also received a PCC (Professional Certified Coach) certification from the International Coach Federation (ICF). Program facilitator: Dr. Jay Morris: Vice President of Leadership Development/Education and Executive Director of the Institute for Excellence, Yale New Haven Health System TH

MINDFUL MONDAYS

Instructor Bio

Jay Morris, PhD, JD, MA, PCC

Jay is the Vice President of Education at Yale New Haven Health System and the Executive Director of the Institute for Excellence (IFE) where he is responsible for leadership development, e-learning, executive coaching, succession planning, organization development and a simulation center. He started his career as a geriatric social worker at the Lehigh County Agency on Aging in Allentown, Pennsylvania. Jay worked at Allstate Insurance Company in Atlanta, Georgia as a field underwriting manager and as an organizational development (OD) consultant at the corporate headquarters in Northbrook, Illinois. He was OD manager at Ernst & Young, LLP in Chicago, Illinois and a senior OD consultant at Computer Sciences Corporation in Waltham, Massachusetts. He spent seven years as a Global OD director at Merck & Company in Whitehouse Station, New Jersey and was Vice President at Trinity Health in Novi, Michigan, where he was responsible for OD, talent management, diversity and leadership development. Jay received a BA in sociology from North Carolina Central University, a JD from Woodrow Wilson College of Law and both his MA in Organization Development and PhD in Corporate Instructional Design from Loyola University in Chicago. He was an Affiliate Professor in the Organizational Dynamics Graduate Program at the University of Pennsylvania and an adjunct professor at National-Louis University in Chicago. Jay received a PCC (Professional Certified Coach) certification from the International Coach Federation (ICF). Jay is on the Board of Trustees at Scholarship America in Minneapolis, Minnesota, the Board of Trustees at Change/Create/Transform Foundation in White Plains, New York, the Board of Trustees for the Robert S. Hartman Institute at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville and is the Chairman of the Trustee Board for Cornerstone Christian Center in Milford, Connecticut.

Creativity & Mindful Movement

Peter Fodera and Rena Paul Monday, March 22, 2021 | 11:00 A.M. – 12:00 P.M Creativity is an important and sometimes undervalued lawyering skill that underwrites exceptional advocacy and problem solving. Mindfulness feeds creativity and can elevate a lawyer’s practice by reducing stress and reactivity and fostering clarity of mind and speech. There is no singular way to cultivate creativity and mindfulness. This program offers one approach: movement. Certified instructor Peter Fodera will introduce the rich and dynamic moving meditation practice called 5Rhythms. Created by Gabrielle Roth in the 1970s, 5Rhythms and is a mindful embodiment practice that ignites creativity, connection and community. The invitation is simple – come and move your body. There are no steps to learn, and no previous experience is required. Bring an open mind and come prepared to move! Instructor Bios Peter Fodera is a certified 5Rhythms movement meditation teacher who trained with Gabrielle Roth and has been leading classes and workshops in the United States, Canada and Europe for 15 years. He on staff at the NYC Moving Center and a member of the Board of the 5Rhythms Reach Out, a non-profit organization that offers movement practice to diverse communities globally. (https://www.5rhythms.com/who-weare/5rhythms-reach-out/).

Rena Paul, Esq. (Bio on p. 45.)

Mindfulness in the First Response Qalvy Grainzvolt Monday, April 5, 2021 | 11:00 A.M. – 12:00 P.M

This program aims to explore the construct of mindfulness through a variety of evidence-based lens. Particular attention will be focused on the affective benefits of mindfulness application in daily routine. ‘Everyone is a first responder in their own lives’- is a theme that will be further explored as a part of the human condition, especially during the Covid-19 pandemic. Decision-making processes and emotion regulation are areas where mindfulness can be of incredible support both in emergency decisions and non-emergency daily life choices alike where cultivating a response rather than surrendering to a reaction may make all the difference. Drawing from personal experience as a chaplain for police, and other essential occupations, the presenter will share how lessons for first responders may benefit us all. This session will also feature a brief period of meditation. This program will: • define the construct of mindfulness • enhance awareness of various benefits of mindfulness and participate in a short period of meditation • explore how mindfulness can support decision-making and help cultivate first responses rather than first reactions. Reverend Qalvy Grainzvolt is a native New Yorker and an ordained Shinnyo-en Buddhist priest. Having served in the U.S. Army National Guard, Qalvy continues to focus on service as an NYPD clergy liaison in the Buddhist tradition, a police chaplain in Westchester County, and the first Buddhist chaplain in the Metropolitan Transit Authority (MTA) and New York City Transit. In 2018, Qalvy helped bring

City Police Department as part of its mindfulness and meditation to the New York official crisis intervention team (CIT) training curriculum. He continues to promote mindfulness as a faculty member at New York University’s Global Spiritual Life program teaching weekly meditation classes. Qalvy also holds a Master’s degree in clinical mental health counsel ingand continues work in psychotherapy with incarcerated individuals in the jail system of the Westchester County Department of Corrections. Qalvy’s main talents are being tall (and dusting the high bookshelves at his temple) as well as having a unique name that works well in Scrabble, if ever proper nouns get their day. 43

Events Sub-committee Nandar Win Kerr, Chair of the Events Sub-committee of the Mindfulness and Well-Being in Law Committee, has an LL.M. in International Law and Justice from Fordham Law School, a B.A in Public Affairs from SUNY- Empire State College, and an LL.B. from Yangon University, Myanmar, in 2006, where she was later licensed as an attorney. She was a recipient of Fordham’s Archibald R. Murray Public Service Award for her dedication and achievements in pro bono and public interest work. She has worked with the National Association of Immigration Judges and Judge Mimi Tsankov, the New York Legal Assistance Group (NYLAG) Pro Se Litigants Clinic, the Fordham Courtroom Advocates Project in Brooklyn Family Court; and the Consumer Law Advocates' Civil Legal Advice and Resource Office, representing programs to assist consumers sued by creditors in NYC, and the NYLAG LegalHealth Unit, assisting veterans. She has also volunteered for the City Bar's Office for Diversity and Inclusion program, Thurgood Marshall Professional Development Series.

Cecilia B. Loving is a thought leader in diversity, equity, accessibility, and inclusion. She is a winner of the National Diversity Council’s 2021 Top 100 Diversity Officers Award; the NYC Department of Citywide Administrative Services’ 2021 Innovation Award for FDNY’s Inclusive Culture Strategy; Lawline’s Top Women Faculty of 2020 Award; and the City Bar Association’s 2020 Diversity and Inclusion Champion Award. She oversees diversity and inclusion initiatives for over 17,000 members of the FDNY, including but not limited the Fire Commissioner’s Taskforce on Racial Inclusion & Equity, and the Fire Commissioner’s Committee on Diversity and Inclusion, FDNY Courageous Conversations on Racial Inclusion, Bravest Women Talk, Diversity and Inclusion Innovation Labs, Inclusive Leadership Training, and similar initiatives. She is founder of the Mindfulness Group at FDNY and is Chair of the NYC Bar Association’s first Mindfulness and Well-Being in the Law Committee. She has written several books, including God is a Lawyer Too and Unbroken Circles: Holding Space, Healing Harm and Transcending Edges, as well as numerous articles and blogs, including “Some Ways to Help Racial Healing”; “Setting the Tone Right Through Inclusive Leadership”; “The Power of Inclusion: Treating Others Well is Essential to Our Well-Being”; “More Support for Mindfulness: Reduction of Implicit Bias”; and “Restorative Circles: Finding Solutions from Ancient Traditions.”

Sydney Naylor, Esq. is an Associate Counsel, Business and Legal Affairs, on the Production Content Review team at ViacomCBS. A childhood love of entertainment and fashion inspired Sydney Naylor to focus on pursuing a legal career within these highly competitive fields. Originally from Philadelphia, PA, Sydney graduated magna cum laude with a BA in English from Spelman College in 2012. Following Spelman, Sydney received the Pepper Hamilton LLP full scholarship to attend Villanova University Charles Widger School of Law. During Sydney’s time at Villanova, she completed concurrent externships with Louis Vuitton North America and BET Networks in New York City. Post-graduation, Sydney clerked for the Honorable Judge Craig M. Washington in Philadelphia, PA in both criminal and civil court. Here she learned the importance of fair treatment and breaking down the law so that it is understood by the masses. After clerking for two years, she returned to Louis Vuitton where she was their inaugural Junior Counsel.

Rena Paul, Esq. is a former federal and state prosecutor with significant experience working with matters involving trauma, including sex crimes, crimes against children, domestic violence, trafficking, gang-related crimes and other crimes of violence. Rena is a certified yoga instructor who has facilitated yoga, meditation and movement classes for lawyers at the New York City Bar. She trains prosecutors across the country on trauma-informed prosecution and prosecutor well-being. Rena is an adjunct professor at Brooklyn Law School, where she teaches Trial Advocacy and Learning from Practice, a class about lawyering, professionalism and well-being. She is a Founding Partner of Alcalaw LLP (alcalaw.com), a womenfounded law firm that provides holistic legal guidance to educational institutions, companies, families and individuals navigating crises. Alcalaw also offers events, training and consulting for legal employers seeking to comply with the ABA’s recommendation that legal employers support lawyer well-being.

Stacy Lefkowitz Schaffer is an attorney, coach and healer. After starting her legal career in Public Finance at Nixon Peabody LLP, she went on to work with nonprofits, such as Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts, where she was Director of Legal Services. She left VLA in 2016 and earned her LLM in Taxation at NYU in 2018. Stacy conducts healing circles and practices several types of energy healing that help others access their own healing for personal growth and spiritual development. She has studied and practices with several master teachers, including Sara Rubin, Tao Porchon-Lynch, and James Van Praagh.

Wendy M. Star is the Inclusion Subcommittee Chair and Secretary of the Mindfulness and Well-being in Law Committee. She is Director of Policy Initiatives for Diversity and Inclusion at the Fire Department of New York City. In addition to providing leadership for more than 40 affiliated organizations at FDNY, Wendy also provides leadership in diversity and inclusion training initiatives, as well as legal issues pertaining to equity and inclusion. She is additionally a Certified Restorative Circle Keeper. Previously, she served as Senior Counsel with the Office of General Counsel at New York State United Teachers (“NYSUT”) where she represented school-related professionals and unions in labor and employment law matters. Prior to her employment at NYSUT, Wendy was a Staff Attorney at the Legal Aid Society, Criminal Defense Division. Wendy also advocates for the rights of refugees here in the United States and internationally. She received her Juris Doctorate from Golden Gate University School of Law and a Bachelor of Arts from SUNY Purchase College where she studied Women’s Studies and Political Science.

Tracy J. Weinstein is currently working as a judicial law clerk in the United States District Court, Eastern District of New York and teaches Legal Practice at New York Law School. She previously worked as a litigator representing seriously injured construction workers throughout New York City. Tracy began playing sports at an early age and went on to play Division I collegiate lacrosse, and became a cycling instructor. She has always been passionate about physical health and fitness, and once she began her career, she realized how important the mental aspect of health and fitness was too. Tracy truly enjoys speaking to other lawyers and presenting the well-being and mindfulness tips she is so grateful to have learned.

Other Contributing Members

Brooke Ford works as in-house counsel at TuneSat LLC, enforcing Sony Music Entertainment's sound recordings. She has dabbled in meditation from her junior year in college, while only becoming “serious” about it in her final year of law school. As someone who has seen improvement in her daily life from the benefits of meditation, Brooke would like to do her part to spread the word on meditation to those in the legal profession

Lisa Podemski, Esq. is a graduate of Barnard College and NYU Law and a member of Phi Beta Kappa, Lisa is currently a lawyer for children at the Legal Aid Society. She is an active member of the organization's secondary trauma and wellness committees--creating and presenting trainings on preventing burn-out and teaching yoga and mindfulness practices to attorneys, social workers, interns and law students. She is a 500 hour registered yoga teacher who completed her yoga teacher and Urban Zen Integrative Therapist trainings with Rodney Yee and Colleen Saidman Yee at Yoga Shanti. Lisa is also attuned in Reiki 2. In her free time, she volunteers at Best Friends Animal Society’s kitten nursery and teaches yoga to people. She is passionate about sharing the gifts of mindfulness, yoga and wellness with others. Lisa developed and launched the City Bar’s Mindfulness Breaks and Yoga for Lawyers programs.