By Katayun Jaffari
2025 has brought and will continue to bring challenges to the rule of law and access to justice. You, our members, have been meeting the moment by leveraging your voice, power, and influence in service to protecting the rule of law and defending our democracy. For that, I thank you.
As the Philadelphia Bar Association’s mission is to serve the profession and the public by promoting justice, professional excellence and respect for the rule of law, it is imperative that we continue to lead and champion efforts to educate, collaborate and support each other. In so doing, we will uphold our mission and values by fostering the understanding of, involvement in, and access to, our justice system.
Along with the usual stress that comes with the practice of law, our profession is contending with the stress of the unprecedented chaos of this time. With policy and regulations changing almost daily, we are tasked with trying to give sound legal advice, knowing that what would be considered our best guidance today could be outdated or outmoded tomorrow. Simultaneously, many of us are also feeling the impacts of those same policies on our own lives, or the lives or livelihoods of our colleagues, clients, friends or family.
Taking all of this together, you may find yourself feeling overwhelmed, under-resourced and having a loss of control. How can you find wellness in these times of turmoil? We have been thinking about this, and the first place we landed was remembering that none of us are alone. The Philadelphia Bar Association community is just that – a community that supports each other and stands with and for each other.
Another source of support could be finding ways to raise your voice and join together with others. Our Association is working hard to be a resource for these opportunities to support our legal profession, as well as protect the most vulnerable at this time through our Meeting the Moment initiative. We are holding events where people who are impacted by various changes in federal policy can come together to share questions that are top of mind, to brainstorm solutions, and to begin to think about what the path forward could look like – together. We are also collecting information to help individuals know how to exercise their rights and where to get help if they feel those rights are under attack.
It is true that research shows engaging in meaningful activities is connected to greater personal well-being. It is also important to realize that when you need a break, you take it. If you can turn off your phone notifications, do it. If you can stop scrolling through the news, try it. Make plans to do something that makes you feel connected, present and calm. Reach out to friends who can provide a wellness check. Consider joining our Wellness Committee, which has a number of resources for practicing mindfulness either individually or with others.
Our Association was founded on the idea that we are stronger together than alone, both personally and professionally. We are dedicated to finding ways to keep you informed and to help you work toward the betterment of the profession and the justice system. But just as important, we offer programs that are fun, that can help you build relationships that become trusted friendships that you can turn to when times are tough. That can make big problems seem perhaps a little smaller or easier to navigate – together.
Take care of yourselves and know that we are here to help.
Kathy Jaffari is 2025 Chancellor of the Philadelphia Bar Association. You can reach her at chancellor@philabar.org.
