The Atlanta Lawyer August/September 2011 | Page 11

On Friday, August 26, 2011, the Public Interest Committee and the Health-Law Partnership (HeLP) hosted a seminar at the Atlanta Bar Association office. Shown from left to right are Dr. Robert Pettignaon (Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta), Haley A. schwartz (Atlanta Legal Aid Society, Inc.), Mariel sivley (Georgia Law Center for the Homeless), Allison stiles (Health-Law Partnership) and Dr. Roshni Patel (Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta at Hughes Spalding and at Egleston). Dr. Pettignaon, Stiles and Dr. Patel spoke on In Your Face(book): Leveraging the Power of the Internet and Social Media: Communication Strategies for Public Interest Organizations. Taking Care of the Body, spirit, and Family When Helping others: working with vulnerable, abused, incarcerated and ill clients can take a toll on a public interest attorney’s emotional well being, causing compassion fatigue and burnout. The term “vicarious trauma” refers to the psychological, physical, and spiritual impact over time that happens when witnessing suffering and need of other people. On September 27th, PIC will host a program focused on helping public interest professionals deal with and prevent vicarious trauma. PIC proudly sponsors and supports an affinity group called Parents In the Public Interest. The group seeks to provide a forum for parents (or those contemplating parenthood) to discuss the particular pressures parents face trying to raise children on a public interest salary. The group meets for support and brainstorming and has planned an educational series focused on self-care. The first event in the series will be held in the fall and will feature a nutritionist who will discuss healthy eating and tips for preparing pre-made nutritious meals. The Official News Publication of the Atlanta Bar Association social Events: On July 27th, PIC sponsored a happy hour in appreciation of public interest summer associates, clerks and interns at Six Feet Under in Grant Park. More social events and mixers are being planned, so stay tuned. Atlanta Bar Collaborations: PIC is excited to announce a partnership with the Litigation section to launch a Public Interest Storytellers and Speakers Series featuring the members of the Atlanta Bar who have done significant and impactful work in various areas involving the public interest. This programming will begin in the fall and run throughout the year. we welcome you to join our community by joining the Public Interest Committee. For more information please contact Mariana Pannell at [email protected].▪ August/September 2011 THE ATLANTA LAWYER 11