How Secondary Trauma Affects Attorney Mental Health

Becky Howlett is an attorney, consultant, and legal educator dedicated to facilitating positive interactions with others and ourselves. After graduating from KU Law cum laude with a Tribal Lawyers Certificate in 2014, Becky focused her career on Indian Country advocacy, developing an expertise in federal Indian law and policy and tribal law.

Like so many others, Becky became depressed and anxious during law school, which worsened as a practicing attorney. Ultimately, she developed “burnout” within her first two years of private practice. After struggling for years with these all-too-common mental health issues, she finally found relief and strength through meditation and mindfulness. Because of this powerful experience, Becky is committed to promoting well-being in the legal field and beyond. In the spring of 2020, she co-founded legalburnout.com to help legal practitioners succeed by applying mindfulness principles to all areas of their lives.

Becky began studying to become a meditation instructor in April 2019. Throughout her training, she volunteered as a meditation liaison leading weekly guided mindfulness exercises for law students and attorneys. After a year and a half, Becky received her instructor certification after completing a total of 550 hours of training and study. Becky is now formally certified to teach a variety of contemplative practices, including mindfulness meditation, breathwork, qigong, and many other evidence-based techniques.

Becky has cultivated a unique skill set that emphasizes communication, education, and resource development. In Washington, D.C. she served as a legal fellow at the National Congress of American Indians and attorney in Kilpatrick Townsend's Native American practice group. She is also a member of the Navajo Nation’s bar and served as outside counsel to the Navajo Nation's Department of Justice.

Ms. Howlett is also founder of Howell and Howlett Consulting, LLC which specializes in tribal outreach and liaison services to build effective communications and relationships with Indian tribes. Becky’s consulting services emphasize integrating aware communications and relationship building, including delivering educational seminars and trainings re: cultural competency and implicit bias.

Becky lives in Kansas City where she loves staying active, including biking, singing, and spending time in nature. She identifies as queer and non-binary.

Veteran attorney Cynthia Sharp (CEO of The Sharper Lawyer) works with motivated lawyers seeking to generate additional revenue for their law firms. She practiced law from 1982 - 2009 and then embarked on a professional speaking and writing career. Ever since, she has served solo and small firm attorneys throughout North America.

Cindy, author of The Lawyer’s Guide to Financial Planning published by ABA Solo, Small Firm and General Practice Division, is also a Contributor to the Division’s books How to Capture and Keep Clients: Marketing Strategies for Lawyers as well as Effectively Staffing Your Law Firm.

Cindy has delivered close to 200 live presentations over the past 25 years on behalf of the American Bar Association, 10 state bar associations, the Million Dollar Round Table, Professional Services Marketing Association and numerous other legal, financial and professional groups in addition to private seminars conducted for her clients.

Cindy served as Business Development columnist on behalf of the ABA GP Solo eReport, Social Media Strategist for GP Solo and has served as a regular guest contributor to ALM’s publication Marketing the Law Firm. In addition, she has written well over 120 articles over the past 30 years that have been published in various journals throughout the country.

During 2017/18, Cindy held positions on the GP Solo and eReport Boards of the ABA Solo, Small Firm & General Practice Division, having previously served as Chair of the Publications Board of the Division and on the Division’s Council. She completed her term as President of the Philadelphia Chapter of the National Speakers Association in June of 2015 and served as Dean of the Speaker Academy the subsequent year. Sharp has also been an active member in the Association of Continuing Legal Education (ACLEA). She continues her service to her colleagues through a podcast featured on Solo Practice University.

Cindy’s most recent accolade is that she has been named Trainer of the Year by the American Bar Association Solo, Small Firm and General Practice Division, a national award presented in New York City on May 3, 2019.

Cindy lives in Philadelphia with her husband, Mark H. Gallant and their dog Rocky and cat Jackson. She practices yoga, enjoys the arts and loves to bake.