Join your colleagues for lunch on March 11 for a free ethics and wellness CLE presented by the Virginia Judges and Lawyers Assistance Program (JLAP). The program, Under Pressure: Addressing Chronic Stress and Enhancing Lawyer Well-Being for Ethical, Effective Practice, will be held at the Alexandria Courthouse, General District Court, Courtroom 2, on the second floor of the Alexandria Courthouse. 

CLE
Stress is a widespread and persistent issue in modern life and nearly all lawyers can relate to the experience of chronic stress. Many lawyers spend their careers in a constant "fight or flight" mode, which, over time, takes its toll and damages the brain, body and spirit. But it doesn’t have to be this way. While some stress can be motivating, unmanaged and prolonged chronic stress can impair cognitive functioning, emotional regulation, and overall well-being. This interactive program will explore the stress cycle, types of stress, and how chronic exposure effects particularly the brain—arguably a lawyer’s most essential tool. Through guided discussion and participant engagement, we’ll also explore how the demands of legal practice—including adversarial work, isolation, and long hours—make lawyers particularly vulnerable to chronic stress. The session will also address the ethical risks of unaddressed chronic stress, including how it may impair a lawyer’s ability to meet professional responsibilities under the Virginia Rules of Professional Conduct. Rules discussed will include, but are not limited to, Rule 1.1 (Competence), Rule 1.3 (Diligence), Rule 1.4 (Communication), Rule 5.1 (Responsibilities of Partners and Supervisory Lawyers), and Rule 8.3 (Reporting Professional Misconduct). Participants will leave with practical, evidence-based strategies to better manage stress—increase resilience, maintain ethical competence, and promote a healthier, more sustainable legal practice.

CLE CREDIT
Attending members earn one ethics and one wellness CLE credit as part of their membership benefits.

LUNCH
Lunch will be provided for attendees who register before Noon on Thursday, March 5, 2026.

SPEAKERS

Charlene P. Reilly
Assistant Director
Virginia Judges and Lawyers Assistance Program

Charlene joined the Virginia Judges and Lawyers Assistance Program (VJLAP) in 2023 as the Education and Outreach Manager. As of July 2025, she also assumed the role of Assistant Director.

Before joining VJLAP, Charlene was a regulatory compliance attorney, focusing most of her legal career on complex consumer finance matters. She served in in-house roles at both a national mortgage loan subservicer and a Virginia-based banking institution. Her work included assessing licensing requirements, advising on state and federal regulatory obligations, and ensuring compliance with laws such as the Electronic Funds Transfer Act, Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, Fair Credit Reporting Act, Truth in Lending Act, Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act, and the Telephone Consumer Protection Act, along with various state laws. She developed policies and procedures, provided training, and supported internal investigations, enforcement actions, and corporate compliance initiatives. In 2022, Charlene earned the Certified Mortgage Compliance Professional designation.

Charlene is licensed to practice law in the Commonwealth of Virginia and Washington, D.C. She holds a B.A. in Psychology from the University of Virginia (1998), a J.D. from The Catholic University of America, Columbus School of Law (2003), and an M.A. in Psychology from Pepperdine University (1999).

Outside of her professional life, Charlene is actively involved in her community. She volunteers with several organizations, serves on the Parent Teacher Association, and is an officer in her neighborhood civic league. She is happiest when spending time with her husband and three children in their hometown of Virginia Beach.

Dr. Andreas Bienert
Deputy Clinical Director and Tidewater Region Manager
Virginia Judges and Lawyers Assistance Program

Dr. Bienert, a licensed professional counselor and certified substance abuse counselor in the state of Virginia and a nationally certified counselor, has served as a leader in the mental health field since 2005. He is widely recognized for his high-caliber work with individuals struggling to recover from addiction and trauma within inpatient and outpatient levels of care. In addition, Dr. Bienert has helped children, adolescents, and adults, in addition to couples and families. This experience has also led him to pursue training and expertise in a variety of areas, including neurofeedback and EMDR. He holds memberships in the Association for Counselor Education & Supervision, American Counseling Association, Christian Association for Psychological Studies, Virginia Counseling Association, Virginia Association of Addiction Professionals, and the European Association for Counseling. Prior to joining VJLAP, Dr. Bienert was the clinical program director at the Master Center for Addiction Medicine.

Hetal Challa
Wellness Coordinator
The Supreme Court of Virginia

Hetal Challa is the Wellness Coordinator for the Supreme Court of Virginia, Office of the Executive Secretary. Prior to working for the Court, Hetal was a practicing Family Law attorney, Guardian ad litem, and a Supreme Court certified mediator. In addition to her background in law and mediation, she has a degree in psychology with five years of clinical experience, counseling adults, adolescents, and children in an outpatient treatment center, suffering from mental health and substance abuse issues. She is recently certified by SAMHSA (Substance Abuse Mental Health System Services Administration) to perform trainings on How Being Trauma-Informed Improves Criminal Justice System Responses. Hetal uses her diverse background to focus on education and outreach for judges, attorneys, magistrates, law students, and judicial employees.