The Biology of Stress in Legal Practice: Cognitive Performance, Judgment, and Decision-Making Under Pressure

The Biology of Stress in Legal Practice: Cognitive Performance, Judgment, and Decision-Making Under Pressure Learn more at https://www.meckbar.org/?pg=MCBCalendar&evAction=showDetail&eid=350999 Description: This program has been submitted for 1.0 PWB credit hours in North Carolina and 1.0 SA/MH South Carolina (webinar credit). Program Overview Legal professionals operate in environments where cognitive clarity, sound judgment, and composed communication are not aspirational qualities—they are professional requirements. Yet the physiological reality of chronic stress systematically undermines every one of them. Presented by Tish Saint Mary, Pharmacist, this session examines the biology of the stress response and its direct impact on attorney performance. Participants will understand precisely how sustained high-pressure work alters memory, attention, communication, and decision-making—and learn evidence-based, immediately applicable tools to restore regulation and protect professional effectiveness. This is not a mindfulness session. It is clinical education grounded in pharmacology and neuroscience, translated into practical tools attorneys can use on the day of a deposition, negotiation, trial, or difficult client conversation. By the end of this session, participants will be able to: •    Explain how the physiological stress response alters memory, focus, communication, and legal reasoning •    Identify how nervous system dysregulation drives reactive decision-making and reduced performance under high-stakes pressure •    Recognize patterns of stress contagion within legal teams and their downstream effects on culture, communication, and client service •    Apply real-time regulation strategies—including controlled breathwork, grounding, and pause-response protocols—to maintain clarity during demanding legal work •    Evaluate how physiological regulation supports ethical judgment, professional responsibility, and client outcomes •    Develop a personal pre-performance protocol for high-pressure legal events including trial, negotiation, deposition, and client interaction Speaker Tish Saint Mary, Licensed Clinical Pharmacist LinkedIn Tish Saint Mary is a licensed clinical pharmacist with over 25 years of experience in high-stakes, decision-driven clinical environments. Her work translates pharmacology and neuroscience into practical performance education. She does not teach wellness theory. She teaches attorneys what their nervous system is doing under pressure—and what to do about it.   The views and opinions of MBA CLEs are not necessarily those of the Mecklenburg Bar Association/26th Judicial District Bar. Schedule: Friday, October 9, 2026 Location: Zoom