January Community Connections
New Year/New Beginning
Join Laurie Cappello, Co-Chair of the New England Chapter, and MILS Executive Director, on Wednesday, January 15th at 12:00 pm ET/ 11 am CT/ 9 am PT. The January Community Connections theme is New Year/New Beginning, and our intention is to encourage you to approach each day as an opportunity to begin again, and to inspire you to re-engage with your mindfulness practice, or to begin a practice if you are new to Mindfulness.
As we gather as a Community to support one another, you’ll be invited to share your mindfulness practice challenges and/or what has worked. Laurie will also remind you how MILS, as an organization, can support you.
Click here to register.
Feel free to share this invitation with your friends and colleagues in the legal community - all are welcome!
We look forward to seeing you on January 15th and to a Mindful 2025!
November Community Connection
The Importance of a Daily Mindfulness Practice
Join Heather Simmons, Co-Chair of the MILS Georgia Chapter, and Associate Director for Instruction and Access Services,Alexander Campbell King Law Library, for this presentation.
The presentation will take place on Thursday, November 14th at 1 pm ET/ 12 pm CT/ 10 am PT.
Click here to register.
Election Day Mindfulness Practice
In addition to our regular Mindful Monday & Wakeful Wednesday practices, MILS will be offering a special practice as an extra support for Election Day. The practice will not be political in nature, and all should feel welcome to attend, as is the case with all other MILS events. The practice is offered in light of the stress that so many of us are experiencing and with the recognition that community can be a refuge and support for us in difficult times.
Join Claire Parsons at 3 pm ET / 2 pm CT /12 pm PT for a self-compassion practice along the theme of seeking refuge in community. Unlike the weekly virtual sits, you will need to register for this practice, and you can do so by clicking here .
MILS does not wish to distract or discourage anyone from voting, but we know that many people have voted early already or will before Tuesday.
We look forward to practicing with you as a Community!
October Community Connection
Join MILS for Our Annual On-line Retreat!
The Mindfulness in Law Society's 3rd Annual Online Retreat will take place on Saturday, October 26, 2024, from 7am-Noon Pacific, 10am-3pm Eastern.
We'll gather just before the U.S. presidential election, to sit with the question, “How Are We Supposed to Treat Others? (hint: there are no others)," our Retreat theme for 2024. As in past years, many of your favorite MILS teachers will be offering both meditation and movement practices.
The Retreat is once again free for law students and MILS Members - click here to register.
If you are not currently a member, click here to join MILS and then register to attend this Event free! The MILS Membership price is the same as last year - $75.
We look forward to seeing you & practicing with you on October 26th!
September Community Connection
Celebrating World Mindfulness Day!
Join Maria Bries, Illinois Chapter Co-Chair and Courtney Schulnick, Pennsylvania Co-Chair on Thursday, September 12 at 3 pm ET/ 2 pm CT /12 pm PT for this special event - Practicing Openness for Cultivating Compassion, Resilience & Equanimity.
Please click here to register!
Bring a friend to help kick off our annual Membership Drive!
Law Student Orientation
Intro to Mindfulness & MILS - How Mindfulness Can Help You SUCCEED in Law School!
The MILS Law Student Division will be hosting this event on Thursday, August 29 at 6 pm ET/ 5 pm CT /3 pm PT!
Please click here to register!
During this event, members of MILS will discuss the benefits of mindfulness and the importance of practicing mindfulness for both personal and professional success in the legal environment. Attendees will also have an opportunity to learn more about MILS, participate in a short, guided meditation, and hear from current MILS-SD student ambassadors about how mindfulness has helped them succeed in law school.
August Community Connection
Mindful Time Management
The MILS Wisconsin Chapter is excited to be hosting their first virtual event on Wednesday, August 14 at 1 pm ET/ 12 pm CT /10 am PT!
Wisconsin Chapter Co-chair, Emily Logan Stedman, will be presenting on how mindfully managing your time can help to reduce stress, find balance, and enhance productivity. The event will run for one hour, including time for Q&A.
MILS-WI would love to have you join!
Please click here to register!
June Community Connection
Say Yes to Yoga: Guilt-Free Dessert for the Mind, Body & Soul!
Kara McCarthy Perry, Co-Chair of the New Jersey/New York Chapter, will be leading a practice open to all in the MILS community on
Wednesday June 12th from 12 - 12:45 pm ET
Click here to register!
Kara likes to describe yoga as dessert—a delicious practice that strengthens and tones your muscles, improves balance and range of motion, calms the mind, and teaches the power of being present. But she didn’t always think this! In fact, Kara didn’t like the taste of yoga when she first tried it as a busy lawyer. She recalls her mind racing, her to-do-list growing even longer, and feeling very self-conscious. It wasn’t until she learned to shift her focus from achieving perfect poses to simply experiencing the sensations within the body that Kara found a pathway to acceptance and peace. Kara invites other legal professionals to meet themselves exactly where they are, without judgment or expectation, as she guides them in the sweet sensations of this practice. In this way, yoga becomes more than just a physical practice—it becomes a sanctuary for the mind, body, and soul. It's a delicious dessert for the senses, offering nourishment and indulgence without guilt! Come build a community of breath and gentle movement as we support each other on our paths of self-exploration and growth.
“Yoga is not about touching your toes. It is about what you learn on the way down.” Jigor Gor
2024 Well-Being Week In Law
JOIN MILS & the INSTITUTE FOR WELL-BEING IN LAW (IWIL) TO CELEBRATE
WELL-BEING IN LAW (WWIL)
Kick-off each morning of Well-Being Week in Law May 6-10 with a mindfulness practice and discussion of the daily theme for WWIL. Join the MILS Chapters for a special daily community event 9:00 am - 9:30 am ET Click Here to Register! Please note that there is a separate registration link for Tuesday's session - click the following link to register: Mindfulness Practice for Attorneys: Embracing the Present Moment - Lawyers Concerned for Lawyers | MA (lclma.org)
MILS’ DAILY OFFERINGS
Monday: Stay Strong - Qigong with Courtney Schulnick
Tuesday: Align - Tracy Meyers - Mindfulness Practice for Attorneys: Embracing the Present - Note special registration link above.
Wednesday: Engage & Grow - Mindful self-reflection with Lynn Hogewood
Thursday: Connect - Metta practice with Brendan Cournane
Friday: Feeling Well - Yoga with Maria Bries
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Click here to learn more about WWIL activities.
The Magic of a Messy Mind: How Mindfulness Can Ignite Your Creativity
MILS April Community Connection
Claire Parsons, Chair of the Greater Cincinnati Chapter, will be leading a presentation open to all in the MILS Community:
The Magic of a Messy Mind: How Mindfulness Can Ignite Your Creativity on April 24 at 12 pm ET/ 11 am CT/ 9 am PT – Click here to register.
Lots of lawyers try meditation with the hopes of "clearing" their minds. Meditation teachers may tell us that isn't the goal. This talk will show you that, even if frustrating, this may not be a bad thing. MILS teacher, lawyer, and mindfulness teacher, Claire E Parsons, learned something shocking when she started meditating a decade ago: some of her thoughts were ideas. When she learned to let them bounce and play, she realized that her mind wasn't trying to annoy her; instead it was trying to tell her to write. In this session, you'll learn how she leveraged her mindfulness practice to trust her intuition, let go of hang ups and judgment, pursue her joy, and transition from beginner writer to blogger and book author. Whether you write or cook or paint or garden, this session may help you see your meditation practice, your mind, and its contents in a new way.
Awareness of Breath Meditation
The Florida Chapter extends a warm invitation to the MILS Community to join an Awareness of Breath Meditation practice on Tuesday, March 12th at 12 pm ET.
To register: click here
A Mindful Valentine’s Practice
A Mindful Valentine's with MILS
Tuesday, February 13 from 4-5 pm ET / 3 - 4 pm CT / 1 - 2 pm PT
Join Courtney Schulnick, Co-Chair of the Mid-Atlantic Chapter, and
Maria Bries, Co-Chair of the Illinois Chapter
for a workshop for the senses
Taste, Move, Breathe, Listen, Feel
MILS Mindful Compassion Practice
12:00pm - 12:30pm ET / 11:00am - 11:30am CT / 9:00am - 9:30am PT
Mindful Compassion Practice
The New England Chapter of Mindfulness In Law Society (MILS) extends a warm invitation to the entire legal community - lawyers, judges, legal professionals, law students, etc., to join a Mindful Compassion practice on Tuesday, January 30 at 12 pm ET. Our intention is to bring the legal community together to practice, and offer compassion for the world, each other, and ourselves, as we begin a new year. The practice will be led by Filippa Marullo Anzalone, NE Chapter member, and Associate Dean for Library & Technology Services, Professor of Law at Boston College Law School.
We hope that you will join this special practice and encourage you to share this invitation with your friends and colleagues in the legal community.
Best wishes to all for a peaceful and mindful 2024!
Laurie Cappello Brenda Fingold
NE Chapter Co-Chair NE Chapter Co-Chair
Annual Online Retreat
7am - 12pm PT / 9am - 2pm CT / 10am - 3pm ET
MILS’ 3rd Annual online retreat will be held on Saturday, October 28, 2023 from 7am-Noon Pacific, 10am-3pm Eastern. As in past years, many of your favorite MILS teachers will be offering both mindful sitting and mindful movement practices. The fall online retreat has become a favorite of our community. We will share more details about the retreat soon, but note that we have once again planned the event for a Saturday, which makes it easier for most of us to fit into our busy schedules. Everyone is welcome, so please share the details with others -It is free for law students and MILS Members!
Non-members Sign-up Here!
Non-members will also receive a 1-year membership with this registration.
Members Register Here!
Law students register here.
Florida MILS Event
9am PT / 11am CT / 12pm ET
The Florida Chapter of MILS was formed in August 2022 and was created with the intention of creating community, sharing the benefits of mindfulness, and fostering well-being with each individual associated with the legal profession around the state. Click here to register for the event!
Mindfulness and Mental Health
3PM - 4PM PT / 5PM - 6PM CT / 6PM - 7PM ET
The Law Student Division presents: Mindfulness and Mental Health. Hear from leaders in the Mindfulness in Law Society and special guest, Dean Alexandra Lisenmeyer of the University of Pittsburgh Law School!
Practicing Openness for Cultivating Compassion, Resilience & Equanimity
10:00AM - 10:30AM PT / 12:00PM - 12:30PM CT / 1:00PM - 1:30PM ET
Join us for MILS’ special World Mindfulness Day Event, Practicing Openness for Cultivating Compassion, Resilience & Equanimity, where Courtney Schulnick, co-chair of the Mid Atlantic Chapter, and Maria Bries, MILS Treasurer and Co-Chair of the Illinois Chapter, will lead guided mindfulness practices from around the globe! Register Here.
An Introduction to Mindful Self-Compassion for Stress Reduction
3:00PM - 3:45PM PT / 5:00PM - 5:45PM CT / 6:00PM - 6:45PM ET
Join the Student Division for a special Law Student Division Back-to-School mindfulness gathering. Tatiana Posada, the new Chair of MILS Law Student Division and MILS Student Ambassadors, will share the personal and professional benefits of joining MILS as a law student and becoming a Student Ambassador. Courtney Schulnick, co-chair of the Mid Atlantic Chapter, will lead a brief metta practice! This session is beneficial whether you are a new student to mindfulness or a life-long learner! Register Here.
Mindfulness in Law Group - Mindfulness and Me
10:00AM - 10:45AM PT / 12:00PM - 12:45PM CT / 1:00PM - 1:45PM ET
Chair of the MILS International Division, Robert Chender, will be chairing a session for the Mindfulness in Law Group.
During the session, Robert Chender will be sharing their mindfulness journey before moving into a guided meditation followed by an opportunity to reflect on the practice in smaller groups via breakout rooms.
The MILG was created to serve as a resource for law professionals (and others working in the legal industry) to both learn and deepen mindfulness practice and to promote wellbeing and mindfulness education in the profession, supporting and advocating for best practice within the field.
New England Chapter Meeting
5:30am PT / 7:30am CT / 8:30am ET
The next New England Chapter meeting will be held via Zoom on Wednesday, July 26 at 8:30 am ET. Chapter member Stephen Seckler, President of Seckler Attorney Coaching, will lead us in a discussion about his recent article in the ABA publication GPSolo eReport - Stop Thinking (and Acting) Like a Lawyer. The mindset and skills that make you a great lawyer can get in the way when you are trying to build your practice, manage your firm, or advance your career. These qualities can also have an adverse impact on attorney mental health. We’ll also talk about how a mindfulness practice can increase the potential to Stop Thinking (and Acting) Like a Lawyer.
You are welcome to share this invitation with colleagues who may benefit from this presentation.
Click here to RSVP for the meeting. Please note that a calendar invitation with the Zoom details will only be provided to those who RSVP.
Mindfulness in Law Virtual Gathering
9am PT / 11am CT / 12pm ET
The Florida Chapter of the Mindfulness in Law Society, the Mental Health and Wellness Committee of The Florida Bar, and the Florida Judicial Wellness Program are excited to invite you to our Mindfulness in Law virtual gathering on Tuesday June 13, 2023. Please join us!
MILS In-Person Retreat: Mindful in Memphis
It’s happening! We are excited to announce during the month in which we honor Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., that our much-anticipated in-person retreat in Memphis will take place on June 10 - 11, 2023. Below are some of the highlights planned for this exciting event:
Meditation and Mindful Movement Practices and Mindfulness in Law Sessions
Keynote Speaker, Rhonda Magee - Author of “Inner Work of Racial Justice”
Private Tour of the National Civil Rights Museum
Click here for additional information, register for the retreat, book your hotel and visit to Magnolia Grove.
Thank you to our sponsors:
NJ/NY Chapter First Meeting
9:30 -10AM PT / 11:30AM - 12PM CT / 12:30 - 1PM ET
The newly formed NJ/NY Chapter will be having it’s first meeting! Register for the event here.
Well-Being Week in Law
When "I" is replaced with "we" even illness becomes wellness. ~Malcolm X
Join the MILS Chapters
for a special daily community event to support
Well-being Week in Law!
6:00am - 6:30am PT / 8:00am - 8:30am / 9:00 am - 9:30 am ET
May 1 -5, 2023
Monday: Stay Strong - Qigong with Courtney Schulnick
Tuesday: Align - Special Spanish-Led Session with Ingrid Benninghoff
Wednesday: Engage & Grown - Mindful self-reflection with Lynn Hogewood
Thursday: Connect - Metta practice with Brendan Cournane
Friday: Feeling Well - RAIN Meditation with Maria Bries
Kick-off each morning of Well-Being Week in Law with a
mindfulness practice and discussion of the daily theme for WWIL.
Together, "WE" can make a difference!
MILS Daily Practice Registration Link
Also, be sure to register for the live events and resources at
the Institute for Well-being in Law
IL Chapter April Pratice
10am PT / 12 pm CT / 1 pm ET
The Earth is not just our Environment.
We are the Earth.
The Earth is us.
~Thich Nhat Hahn
Please join us this month as we continue our theme of Positive Psychology with a practice to cultivate inner strength and celebrate Earth Day!
April MILS IL Chapter Mindfulness Practice
Hope to see you!
Maria and Brendan
Illinois Chapter Co-Chairs
Illinois Chapter Spring Equinox Event
10:00AM - 10:45AM PT / 12:00PM - 12:45PM CT / 1:00PM - 1:45PM ET
All Chapters are Invited to a Spring Equinox Event Hosted by the Illinois Chapter
Please join MILS Teachers Joseph Gerstel, Jeffrey Bunn and Maria Bries in practices to cultivate sympathetic joy (mudita).
New England Chapter Monthly Meeting
5:30AM PT / 7:30AM CT / 8:30AM ET
The New England Chapter welcomes all MILS members to attend our February meeting which will be held via Zoom on Thursday, February 23. New England Chapter member Tracey Meyers, Psy. D., Clinical Psychologist, HSP at Massachusetts Lawyers Concerned for Lawyers (LCL), will explore how to incorporate evidence-based yoga practices into a toolkit for mental health and well-being and lead us in a few short, seated yoga practices. In addition, Tracey will be discussing and answering questions about the release of her new book "Yin Yoga Therapy for Mental Health." Click here to RSVP for the meeting.
Mindfulness in Law Group: Lawyers, Love, and Justice
10:30AM-11:30AM PT / 12:30PM-1:30PM CT / 1:30PM-2:30PM ET / 6:30PM-7:30PM GMT
MILS Board Member, Chair of the International Division, and one of the founders of the Mindfulness in Law Group, Robert Chender, will be hosting a virtual talk on Tuesday, February 21st. The session will feature both a discussion and practice and is open to everyone. Learn more about the event and register here.
Illinois Chapter Monthly Meeting
10:00AM - 10:30AM PT / 12:00PM - 12:30PM CT / 1:00PM - 1:30PM ET
MILS Illinois Chapter continues their year-long theme of Positive Psychology! IL Chapter Co-Chair, Maria Bries, invites every MILS member to join and will lead a practice to inspire awe. Register here.
Illinois Chapter & Mid-Atlantic Chapter Collaboration: A Mindful Valetine's Day
10:00AM - 10:45AM PT / 12:00PM - 12:45PM CT / 1:00PM - 1:45PM ET
The Mid-Atlantic Chapter and Illinois Chapter collaborate to provide a Mindful Self-Compassion Workshop.
View the recording here!
Illinois Chapter Monthly Meeting
All MILS Chapters and the Law Student Division are invited to join the Illinois Chapter this month for the beginning of their year-long theme of Positive Psychology. IL MILS member and frequent Mindful Monday facilitator, Jeffrey Bunn, will lead us in a mindfulness practice to shift perspective, cultivate joy and let go with ease! Register here.