What to know if childbirth recovery, postpartum depression, or anxiety keeps you from returning to work
Pregnancy and childbirth are often described as joyful milestones—but they can also bring unexpected medical challenges. For many working parents, short-term disability (STD) insurance provides critical income replacement during pregnancy and recovery after birth. Unfortunately, people are often unaware that disability benefits don’t have to end simply because the “standard” recovery period has passed. When complications arise, benefits can frequently be extended, and
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HAPPY, HAPPY, JOY, JOY!
Studies have shown those who win bronze at the Olympics are happier than the silver medal winners. It is because they know their hard work paid off, but they very easily could not have been on the medal stand.
Tal Ben-Shahar is a teacher and writer in the areas of happiness, positive psychology, and leadership. In his book, Happier: Learn the Secrets to Daily Joy and Lasting Fulfillment (2007), he informs us that people who are pursuing self-concordant goals
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We Are Better Lawyers When We’re Not Alone
I imagine a lot of you got into law for the same reason I did – I wanted to help people and make a decent living while doing it. It hasn’t always been easy, whether it is a difficult client or a difficult issue.
Now, after 37 years of practice, I’m preparing to retire with one clear certainty: we are better lawyers when we’re not alone.
I’ve been thinking about what made the difference over these decades. It wasn’t
Grow With Intentionality
I visited the SkyFarm in Houston, Texas. August, the lead farmer on this 5.5-acre green space located on a rooftop downtown, took time on an autumn morning to talk about how they can build a space that gets 10-12 hours of sun and reach temperatures up to 170°F into a green space in a sustainable, regenerative way – all with just 6-12 inches of soil – and in a way that the building owner wants to keep that green
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Small Firms, Big Ideas; Reflections from the 2025 Wisconsin Solo & Small Firm Conference
Earlier this month, I had the privilege of making my annual trip to Wisconsin Dells to attend the 2025 Wisconsin Solo & Small Firm Conference. As with each year of the conference, it was a reminder that, even as attorneys characterize themselves with independence (solo and small firm attorneys especially so), community is essential. Solo and small firm attorneys face unique challenges of managing law firm operations themselves, including client intake, billing, legal research, and even drafting blog
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Invisible Injuries, Real Claims: Mental Health and Worker’s Compensation Claims in Wisconsin
Most people know that they can file a worker’s compensation claim if they have a physical injury resulting from work. But what if you have mental health symptoms that are work-related? You might be wondering if you have a worker’s compensation claim relating to a work situation that caused mental health symptoms like anxiety, depression, or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). This blog post will break down the general rules for mental health worker’s compensation cases in Wisconsin and other
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Starting Therapy for the First Time: What to Expect When You’ve Never Done This Before
At the same time, you’re continuing to run
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When Perfectionism Becomes a Problem: Understanding Workplace Perfectionism and Mental Health
Picture this: You’ve just submitted a project you’ve spent weeks perfecting. Instead of feeling satisfied, you’re already mentally reviewing every detail, wondering if you could have done something better. Sound familiar? You’re not alone—and you might be experiencing the double-edged sword of perfectionism in the workplace.
For professionals in Wisconsin’s competitive business environment, from attorneys to executives, these perfectionist patterns are increasingly common. Perfectionism often gets praised in business settings. After all, who doesn’t want high standards and attention
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From Overwhelmed to Optimized: Evidence-Based CBT Techniques for Busy Professionals Managing Anxiety
Sarah stared at her computer screen, the cursor blinking mockingly in her empty email draft. The presentation to the board was tomorrow, and despite weeks of preparation, her mind was spinning with worst-case scenarios. What if they ask a question I can’t answer? What if the projector doesn’t work? What
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Running Hot Without Burning Out: A Lawyer’s Guide to Sustainable Performance
Just like a light switch, you have the power to disconnect from work stress and create boundaries that protect your well-being while maintaining professional excellence.
If you’re reading this, chances are you’re feeling the weight of an unsustainable workload, the pressure of always being “on,” and the creeping sense that your legal career is demanding more than you can give. You’re not alone—and more importantly, there’s a path
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Build stress reduction into your routine
As a senior in high school, I must make a lot of decisions for the next steps in my life. The questions people always have for me these days are; “How is senior year going?” “Do you know what you want to do or where you want to go?” I always reply that I am ready to be done and move on to the next chapter in life! Or that I plan to go for political science, but I
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Being Thankful – One Week Early
I recently finished reading Arnold Schwarzenegger’s book Be Useful, and one message really stuck with me: None of us are self-made. Every accomplishment, every milestone, is built on the support, wisdom, and generosity of others. As I reflect on ten years of legal practice, and how I got here, this truth feels especially meaningful.
With the holidays around the corner, it’s the perfect time to express my gratitude to a few of the incredible people who have helped me
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What I Wish I’d Known – Thought Leadership with Pam J. Tillman
Pamela J. Tillman, a Shareholder Attorney at Meissner Tierney Fisher & Nichols S.C., has built a remarkable career in the legal field, particularly in representing businesses in complex litigation matters. With a focus on insurance coverage issues, commercial litigation, employment disputes, and professional liability, Pam has developed a reputation for her deep understanding of the intricacies of litigation.
Reflecting on her journey, Pam offers a wealth of advice to younger colleagues, sharing the lessons she wishes she had
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Navigating workers’ compensation for psychological injuries
When people think of workers’ compensation, they often imagine physical injuries. However, psychological injuries—such as anxiety or depression—can also occur due to work-related situations.
As such, employees may be eligible for workers’ compensation for job-related, psychological injuries. Understanding how workers’ compensation applies to these situations helps employees receive fair compensation.
Proving a psychological injury
Proving a psychological injury can be more challenging than proving a physical one. The employee must demonstrate their mental health condition arose out of the
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Finish Summer Strong While Prepping for Year-End Success
As the golden days of summer start to wane, the mornings greet us with a hint of chill, and the evenings slip into darkness a bit too soon. It’s already noticeable how dark it is by 7:30 p.m. or how it still lingers at 5 a.m. The purpose of this post isn’t to depress you (though I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t a little sad about the upcoming change of seasons) but to encourage you to finish
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March Madness: How Basketball Can Help You Be a Better Attorney
The immeasurable benefits of a healthy work-life balance are well known. Engaging with outside organizations, taking time for personal interests and hobbies, spending time with family and friends, exercising, gardening, caring for pets, traveling – all of these are ways in which we can help our bodies, minds, and souls stay fresh for our law practices and our clients. Additionally, we can learn a lot from our out-of-office activities that help us as attorneys.
In my working life, I
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