The Hispanic Bar Association of New Jersey (HBA-NJ) is hosting its Third Annual Mental Education & Nurturing Through Engagement (M.E.N.T.E.) Panel Round Table Discussion on World Mental Health Day, October 10, 2023, from 5:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.  At Stark & Stark, 100 American Metro Blvd., Hamilton, NJ 08619.  This year’s event will be a hybrid presentation and tickets will be available for in person and virtual attendance.  The discussion will once again tackle mental health struggles silently affecting the legal profession and our community.  Our panelists will explain the confidential nature and available resources of New Jersey's Lawyers Assistance Program (NJ-LAP) and will provide expert advice as part of the HBA-NJ’s efforts to eradicate stigmas in our profession surrounding mental health.  The panel will also answer your questions, and equip you with tools to help you and your loved ones navigate the challenges to mental health posed by the legal profession. 

THE HBA-NJ WILL BE OFFERING CLE CREDITS FOR THIS EVENT

Zoom link and CLE details/forms will be provided prior to the conference date.

Program Summary:

The Third Annual M.E.N.T.E. Conference (Mental Education & Nourishment Through Engagement) will focus on the following goals.

1. BREAK THE STIGMA:  Help attorneys realize that they are not alone when dealing with issues related to their psychological well-being. 

2. EMPOWER SELF-CARE:  Give practical techniques to help cope with anxiety, burn out, and imposter syndrome. 

3. GUIDE TOWARDS HELP: Provide resources available to attorneys, such as Lawyers Assistance Programs (LAPs), support groups and hotlines and explain how they can help. 

The M.E.N.T.E. Conference will help attorneys realize that they are not alone when dealing with issues related to their mental health and well-being.  This 90-minute panel discussion will make attorneys aware that others have faced and overcome similar issues, helping destigmatize the act of seeking help.  The M.E.N.T.E. Conference panelist will not only share personal stories—but will also provide practical techniques that attorneys can begin implementing to help reduce anxiety and the potential for burnout.  The panel will focus on explaining the confidentiality and efficacy of New Jersey’s Lawyers Assistance Program. 

To this end, we have assembled an esteemed panel of professionals with experience in the field of mental health in the legal profession.  Our panel consists of:

Dr. Defne Ekin, Psy. D.

Counseling Psychologist

Dr. Ekin is a counseling psychologist who serves as the team clinician for the New Jersey Lawyers Assistance Program (NJLAP). She holds a Ph.D. in Counseling Psychology from New York University, an M. A. in Organizational Psychology from Columbia University and completed her post-graduate training at the Ackerman Institute for the Family. Before joining NJLAP, Dr. Ekin served as a faculty member at Columbia University, Adelphi University, New York University and Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. For most of her years in academia, she held key administrative and supervisory positions in addition to teaching. She remains actively involved in clinical treatment research and maintains a private practice in New York City since 2009.

Nicole Perskie - JD

Nicole Perskie works at the New Jersey Lawyers Assistance as an Office Administrator, serving in a range of functions from data administration and bookkeeping to outreach to NJ judges, lawyers, law students and law graduates.  She is a graduate of Pennsylvania State University and Rutgers University School of Law. She clerked in Atlantic County Superior Court in 2006.  Nicole’s legal practice focused on the Federal Bankruptcy Courts in New York and New Jersey until 2016, when her personal and professional journey took a new path, towards assisting individuals with a range substance use, mental health, and family concerns.  She has worked with the New Jersey Judges Assistance Program and New Jersey Lawyers Assistance Program since January 2022 and has focused her efforts on lawyer and judicial well-being.  Nicole loves serving in her role as a face and voice of well-being in the New Jersey legal community

Ruben Lambert, Psy. D.

Clinical and Consulting Psychologist, Wisdom Spring Wellness Services

Dr. Ruben Lambert is a licensed Psychologist and founder of Wisdom Spring Wellness Services (WisdomSpring.com). He specializes in Mind/Body Wellness Interventions. He is also a Zen Master in the Korean Zen Tradition.  Dr. Lambert integrates the wisdom of Zen with modern day scientific psychological research to provide training and interventions that target the mind and body. His approach is simplistic and the goal is to provide practical techniques for achieving optimal wellness moment to moment in daily life.

Ramon Ortiz, Esq.

Senior Attorney Counselor, New Jersey Lawyers Assistance Program

Ramon Ortiz is a Senior Attorney Counselor at the New Jersey Lawyer’s Assistance Program (NJLAP) in New Brunswick, New Jersey.  He has been employed by NJLAP for the past 27 years.   Prior to joining the New Jersey Lawyers Assistance Program, he was an Associate Professor of Law, Clinical Professor of Law, and Director of Clinical Programs at Seton Hall Law School.  He also practiced law with the firm of Ortiz & Velez for 20 years.

CLE Credit

We would like to extend out sincerest appreciation to our generous sponsors

For sponsorship opportunities, please click here or reach out to Francisco Guzman-Andrade, at Francisco F. Guzmán-Andrade .   If you have any questions about the event, please contact our MENTE Conference co-chairs Alex Fajardo at afajardo@stark-stark.com and Maria Z. Cortes at Maria.Cortes@hklaw.com.