Burnout is often treated as inevitable or, worse, as a sign of weakness in the legal sector. But being on the brink of burnout, or beyond, undermines our agency, professionalism, and leadership competence. In fact, studies show that unaddressed burnout also affects legal organizations, undermining efficacy, retention, advancement, and leadership.

But what if we look at rest as a leadership strategy?

Together, we’ll redefine rest and examine its relationship with agency. Workshop facilitator Dana T. Weekes will introduce the rest continuum—three forms of rest we can practically incorporate into daily life that help reconnect us to our agency. Through storytelling, a brief data dump, self-reflection, humor, and creative expression, we’ll view rest as a leadership strategy that compels us to show up with a stronger sense of self.

About Dana T. Weekes

Dana T. Weekes practiced as a lawyer-lobbyist for nearly 15 years at two AM Law 100 firms in Washington, DC. Her advocacy career has earned recognition from The Hill (Top Lobbyists), Chambers USA, Super Lawyers, Legal 500, Professional Women in Advocacy, The National Black Lawyers, and the Washington Bar Association.

At the end of 2021, Dana resigned as a Managing Director after waking up one day to find she didn’t know the person behind her “success.” In 2022, she took a year-long journey of rest, a life-changing experience that led to the launch of Thrive Architects and The Rest of Us with Dana Tenille Weekes, a podcast that explores rest as liberation for professionals and advocates.

Thrive Architects’ work includes collaborating with legal organizations to shift burnout-breeding practices to those that create thriving ecosystems.