About this episode

The episode discusses the emotional toll on lawyers and reframes the concept of compassion fatigue.

In this episode, the conversation gets candid about the toll this work takes on lawyers themselves. Sara Marler of Marler Law Partners challenges the myth of "compassion fatigue," explaining that what attorneys are really experiencing is empathetic distress, carrying burdens that aren't theirs to carry. Brittany Graham offers a reframe that often stops attorneys in their tracks: trauma explains behavior but does not excuse it.

People in this episode

Guests: Sara Marler, Brittany Graham

Topics covered

• trauma-informed lawyering
• empathetic distress
• compassion fatigue
• lawyer well-being
• client care

Keywords

• trauma
• lawyers
• empathetic distress
• compassion fatigue
• client care

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Marler Law Partners

More episodes of Heels In The Courtroom

• EP 1012: Trauma-Informed Lawyering: Caring for Clients and Yourself Part 1 · July 1, 2026 · 44 min
• EP 1011: Breaking Barriers: Inside a Trailblazing Career in Employment Law Part 2 · June 17, 2026 · 33 min

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