Page 43 - FDCCFlyer_Summer2025

While there
are no magical
answers for
this, research
suggests that
meaning, social
connection, and
hope are among
the best ways to
manage stress
and weather
hard times.
and community in part depends
on it. It helps focus on what I can
control and be realistic about what
I cannot. In short, having someone
to help has given me a purpose and
that in turn helps me.
2CONNECTION
If I was forced to handle all
the client confusion on my
own, that could easily overwhelm.
Fortunately, I am not handling law
practice on my own. I am a member
of several groups, like FDCC, whose
members, like me, want to find
the best strategies for their clients.
Likewise, my law firm and practice
group regularly collaborate to
brainstorm responses to emerging
issues or discuss management of
client issues.
Of course, getting the right answer
for my clients is my primary
purpose with these groups. The
other impact, though, is still
significant. In addition to insights
on handling tricky legal issues,
I also get the peace of mind that
comes from connection and
support. In times of change, quality
relationships with colleagues and
www.thefederation.org
FDCC News
other lawyers are a stabilizing
force that supports individual and
organizational well-being.
3REST
Just as you need to have
others to lean on when times
are hard, you also need time to rest.
Due to firm and client demands,
lawyers do not have unlimited time
to ourselves. This means that in our
time away from work we may have
to maximize our rest. As someone
with an active and anxious mind, it
is not enough for me to watch TV or
scroll on my phone.
Though frivolous entertainment
has a place, the thing that helps me
more is having passions outside of
work that engross me. This includes
time for family, of course, but
personal pursuits are also essential.
My exercise routine lets me burn off
steam. Writing and other creative
pastimes occupy my mind, connect
me to myself, and keep me from
obsessing about the news or the
problems in the world. In some
cases, these pastimes involve extra
effort, but they count as rest to me
because they let me set work aside
and restore my energy and my
sense of hope.
CONCLUSION
In difficult times, one of the
approaches that has served me best
as a lawyer is keeping things simple
and practical. These are the three
simple things that have helped
me stay steady during political
turbulence. Meaning, connection,
and rest help me stay motivated,
hopeful, and steady so I can keep
offering my best to my clients,
family, and community regardless
of what the headlines say.
Claire E. Parsons is Of Counsel at Bricker
Graydon LLP in the Cincinnati area and the
Chair of FDCC’s FedLife Committee. For
more than 15 years, she has represented
local governments, schools, and their
officials in Kentucky and Ohio in litigation
and a general counsel capacity. Claire is
also a mindfulness and compassion teacher,
author of two books, and the founder of
the Brilliant Legal Mind blog. You can
learn more about Claire by checking out
brilliantlegalmind.com, or connecting with
her on LinkedIn.
Summer 2025 | Federation Flyer
39