Life as a Lawyer

should not come at the cost of your well-being

I see you...

→ burned out and struggling to manage the incredible pressures of your job.
→ stressed and overwhelmed trying to handle constant emails and meetings when all you want to do is get your work done without interruption.
→ exhausted from working around the clock when all you really want is a little time to take care of yourself - move your body, enjoy a work-free weekend, spend time with family and friends, discover your passions outside of work, etc.
→ stuck feeling like you want something to change but you don't know what you need or how to get it.

I know how it feels...because i was you.

After landing a dream job in “Big Law,” it didn’t take long for the anxiety, perfectionism, and fear of failure to set in. After suffering in silence for several months during my second year (you know, being too proud/scared to ask for help), my family and friends encouraged me to see a therapist. That experience helped me realize that my struggles were not caused by my firm or practice area, but rather the constant pressures of private practice and all that goes along with it (including having no control over my schedule).

After some thoughtful reflection, I decided to leave private practice behind and moved to a non-practicing role as a Claim Attorney at Minnesota Lawyers Mutual Insurance Company. Although this change was terrifying so early in my career, I immediiately felt like I could breathe again. I had a predictable schedule, a manageable yet challenging workload, and found that I could still feel like a lawyer simply by using my J.D. in a different way.

As a Claim Attorney, I spent several years helping lawyers navigate the challenges of ethics and malpractice claims. This experience opened my eyes to how hard lawyers are on themselves when things don’t go perfectly and fueled my passion for helping lawyers find practical and ethical ways to feel happy and satisfied in their careers.

I co-chaired the Minnesota State Bar Association Well-Being Committee from 2017-2020, authored the Practicing Well column through the Professional Liability Defense Federation from 2018-2023, and was humbled in later receiving awards from PLDF and Lawyers Concerned for Lawyers for following my passion.

“Big Law”

How it started

Witnessing others struggle in the legal profession

While I was busy helping lawyers find more balance and peace in their lives, I knew I needed to do the same for myself.

The pandemic helped me learn to focus on the “little things” in my personal life–gardening, cooking, rediscovering the quiet beauty of the sunrise and sunset–and I found myself enjoying my legal career again.

Each day, I looked forward to talking with my colleagues, defense counsel, and MLM insured lawyers about what we were all doing to stay healthy. This shed so much light on the struggles we all face and how we overcome them.

Finding My Own Balance

In 2021, I began exploring the benefits of mindfulness & meditation. I obtained my Health & Well-being Certificate from Arizona State University & Mayo Clinic and took several workshops through ASU and the University of Minnesota to develop my mindfulness practice. I uncovered my passion for yoga and breathwork, the power of gratitude and resilience, and the value of self-compassion. I saw how these practices were changing my life and I wanted to show others how they could change theirs.

In 2022, I formed A Balanced Practice, where my mission is teaching lawyers, judges, and legal professionals about the “little things” we can do every day to enjoy life a little more as people and as members of the legal profession.

I am now a Certified Meditation & Mindfulness Teacher and a Certified Mindful Health & Wellness Coach, allowing me to help lawyers and legal professionals design action plans to reach their goals, navigate career transitions, improve job satisfaction, and establish health & wellness routines at home and at work!

I do this work because when we take care of ourselves, we’re less likely to make mistakes that can lead to malpractice and ethical issues, we are happier and healthier, and we are better able to enjoy our careers in the legal profession.

to legal professionals everywhere

Growing up, I always cared more about playing sports than focusing on my schoolwork, which often resulted in my dad saying that he wished I had a "thirst for knowledge." As I reflect on my journey in the well-being space, I am grateful for all of the experiences (good and bad) that have allowed me to have a thirst and a passion like never before. I love learning about well-being, finding ways to apply it to my life, and sharing this experience with others.

I have been so fortunate in having my incredible husband, Luke, by my side throughout this experience. We have a beautiful life together in the Twin Cities with our two Golden Retrievers (Indy & Loki) and Bearded Dragon (Mick). We love doing DIY projects for our house and garden, spending summers on the water paddleboarding and fishing, and being aunt and uncle to our 14 amazing nieces and nephews! We are lucky to live close to our family and friends, and are grateful for the neighborhood relationships that the pandemic allowed us to form. We are excited to see where life takes us next, and look forward to sharing that with you!

Teaching Mindfulness

A bit more about me...

Take a moment and feel your breath.

Inhale through your nose for four counts and exhale out your mouth for eight counts. When you feel stressed, come back to your breath.

"Patty was an empathetic and caring listener who challenged me gently and effectively to integrate more mindful, stress-reducing practices into my everyday and to confront both professional and personal concerns calmly in a safe space with a clear mind. As a result, I'm confidently forging a new, beneficial path within my current workplace that allows me to balance family, self and work."
– AL (New York), senior in-house lawyer