Supporting attorney well-being through real-world experiences and thoughtful insights is key to tackling the mental health challenges faced by legal professionals. This session, created alongside Patrick Krill of Krill Strategies, a trusted expert in attorney well-being and addiction, features Alexandria’s Chief Judge Uston, who brings her perspective from the bench and as a member of the Committee on Lawyer Well-Being of the Supreme Court of Virginia, speaking about wellness, its role in ethical practice, and efforts to raise awareness in Virginia. Attendees will gain a deeper understanding of generational and gender differences in well-being, recognizing the ethical impact of poor well-being on lawyers and their workplaces. By blending meaningful insights with practical steps being embraced in the legal community, this session empowers legal professionals with the tools to address well-being challenges and nurture a healthier, more ethical practice, informed by the 2024 Bloomberg Law Attorney Well-Being Report.

Hon. Kathleen M. Uston 
Chief Judge
Alexandria Circuit Court

Hon. Kathleen M. Uston began her service on the Circuit Court for the 18th Circuit in the City of Alexandria in April 2021. She received her juris doctorate from George Mason University School of Law in 1991 and, after passing the bar, went into private practice focusing in the areas of attorney ethical defense work, GAL representation, and civil litigation. Judge Uston served as Commissioner in Chancery for the Circuit Court for the City of Alexandria, as Assistant Bar Counsel with the Virginia State Bar for thirteen years and as adjunct professor of law at American University Washington College of Law teaching Ethics for Trial Lawyers. She is past President of the VSB Young Lawyers Conference, served as vice-chair of the American Bar Association Young Lawyers Division Solo and Small Firm Committee, and is former President of the Alexandria Bar Association. Judge Uston also served as President of the National Organization of Bar Counsel and as NOBC's Delegate to the American Bar Association House of Delegates. Judge Uston was a member of the National Task Force on Lawyer Well-Being, the Presidential Committee on Wellness of the Virginia State Bar, and a member of the Virginia Committee on Lawyer Wellness formed by Chief Justice Donald Lemons of the Virginia Supreme Court. Judge Uston is currently a member of the Supreme Court Wellness Advisory Committee. Over her career, Judge Uston has lectured extensively on the subject of attorney ethics and had the great honor of co-authoring the updated edition of Lawyers and Other People's Money with Frank Thomas, Esquire.

Jessica R. Blaemire 
Content Team Lead 
Bloomberg Law

Jessica R. Blaemire is a Content Team Lead with Bloomberg Law focusing on litigation, attorney well-being, and legal ethics. In this role, Jessica develops Practical Guidance on building well-being programs, creates well-being surveys for legal professionals, helps maintain the ABA Manual on Professional Conduct, and writes analysis pieces on topics ranging from law school drinking data to whether mandatory bar associations can promote wellness programs. Jessica co-authored the Bloomberg Law 2024 Attorney Well-Being Report, and was featured on the Bloomberg Industry Group podcast, “On the Merits” to discuss neurodiversity in the legal profession. In addition, Jessica’s essay sobriety and legal practice is featured in the ABA book, . Jessica is licensed to practice in Washington D.C. (1032912) and Virginia (96356) and earned her J.D. from the University of Virginia School of Law.