SBAND PRESIDENT
THE FRENZY OF LAW AND LIFE
JENNIFER ALBAUGH SBAND President
First off , I would like to thank all of you for the warm welcome . Following the distribution of the last edition of The Gavel , I received dozens of emails , messages , and calls . The support is truly appreciated . Even my daughter , Sloane , ate it up . She brought a copy of The Gavel to share day at her daycare . I have the pleasure of submitting four articles to The Gavel during my term as president , and I want each one of them to have a personal impact , even if it means giving all of you a glimpse into my life .
This past month , I had the pleasure of speaking to the newest attorneys in the state of North Dakota . Not only did I have to stand before the Justices of the North Dakota Supreme Court , I had to follow speeches from Board of Law Examiners , Lieutenant Governor Brent Sanford , Attorney General Drew Wrigley , and Dean Brian Pappas . To say I was nervous is an understatement . As I spoke to the newly admitted attorneys , I realized it had been 10 years since I sat in the same exact seats . I remember being filled with anxiety , excitement , and fear for the unknown .
The unknown can be a struggle for anyone . For me , in the beginning , the unknown included sacrificing parts of my personal life to fuel my career . The little things were the first things sacrificed . My exercise routine was disrupted , and at times , came to a complete halt ; my healthy eating went right out the window ; and this thing called anxiety crept into my life . My life became more about how much work I could get done in a day , rather than what I needed to do to live a happy , healthy , and balanced life . While law school teaches you a lot , it doesn ’ t teach you how to balance a demanding career and your personal life . I truly thought that it would be easy to figure out a way to balance lawyering and my personal life , but I was wrong .
Looking back now , I realize the busyness of the practice of law and life doesn ’ t stop , even though you become more seasoned as an attorney . In fact , for myself , it ’ s as though life became busier making the balancing act even more complicated . Maybe your practice grows more quickly than anticipated , maybe you add children to the mix , which means in addition to figuring out your own life you must try and negotiate with a tinier version of yourself . On a personal note , negotiating with my children never ends well for me , especially with Sloane . I can only presume she inherited some of my genetic traits .
Regardless of the situation that causes an upheaval in your ability to balance your career and personal life , know that there is help . The State Bar Association of North Dakota ( SBAND ) has the Lawyer Assistance Program that can help with struggles you are facing . The purpose of the Lawyer Assistance Program is to “ prevent and alleviate problems that adversely affect a lawyer ’ s performance .” The Lawyer Assistance Program seeks to help attorneys that struggle with substance abuse , stress , depression , anxiety , or practice management . The process is confidential . The Lawyer Assistance Program works on a referral basis , which includes referrals by those practicing with you or by self-referral . With this amazing program , there is no need for anyone to struggle with the unknown . If you need help , please know SBAND has the resources and ability to help you figure out your balance .
4 THE GAVEL