ALISON LINTAL PRESENTS ON THE IMPORTANCE OF WELL-BEING IN THE LEGAL PROFESSION
September 2019 — Alison F. Lintal, who is Director of Career Services and Internship Programs at Penn State Dickinson Law, recently had the honor d to present on wellness as part of the annual judicial retreat for the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania. A certified Iyengar yoga instructor, Alison led a morning yoga session for the judges before presenting on judicial stress and well-being.
There is a current and well-documented well-being crisis in the legal profession. One of the recommendations of the 2017 Report from the National Task Force on Lawyer Well-Being is to provide well-being programming for judges and their staff. Drawing upon her legal background and experience as a yoga teacher, Alison Lintal facilitated a discussion on how stressors impact the judiciary and gave some tools, including yoga and mindfulness as techniques for countering judicial burnout.
Why is well-being important to judges and frankly all attorneys? Because stress impacts our ability to make decisions and be competent legal practitioners. Ensuring that physical, psychological, relational and other needs are met is important to the long-term success in the profession. It is really all about creating self-awareness and connection, which ultimately helps all of us do our jobs better.
Alison F. Lintal is the Director of Career Services and Internship Programs at Penn State Dickinson Law, as well as the faculty supervisor who oversees the academic course component for the general internship program. Utilizing a holistic approach, Lintal teaches students to cultivate insight on their professional path and facilitates reflective learning through experiential education. Lintal received her J.D., magna cum laude, from the University of Miami School of Law and her Bachelor of Arts from Lafayette College where she majored in Spanish and International Affairs. Before joining Dickinson Law, she served as an Attorney-Advisor for the Office of General Counsel for the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development for five years in Chicago where she focused her practice on multifamily housing transactions. During law school, she served for two years as a Health Rights Clinic Fellow. Lintal has internship experience working in various sectors including legal services, city government, private practice, and with the Illinois judiciary. A certified Iyengar yoga teacher, Lintal uses mindfulness techniques to help law students engage in meaningful work, develop their professional identity, and facilitate better connections with their colleagues, peers, other professionals, and clients.