UPCOMING EVENTS
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Icon of Extreme Humility |
Thoughts on Humility
for Orthodox Christian Attorneys
Speaker: Lory Barsdate Easton
Thursday, April 10, 2025
12:00 pm ET/9:00 am PT
In the Lenten prayer of St. Ephrem the Syrian, we ask the Lord to give us the spirit of humility. What is humility, and what does it mean to be humble as a lawyer? This webinar will discuss the virtue of humility, touching on Orthodox teachings and recent psychological research, and will explore challenges for lawyers seeking to grow closer to Christ through humility.
We will discuss some of the specific pitfalls for lawyers, including:
- the competitive and adversarial aspects of the profession,
- the encouragement to be self-promoting as "marketing,"
- the temptations of specialized knowledge, prestige, and power, and
- the dangers of stress and burnout
We also will consider some examples of humility in action in legal practice. Entering Holy Week, Orthodox Christians are brought face-to-face with the icon depicting the Extreme Humility of Christ. Join us before Lent ends to consider how our Lord Himself tolerated shame and injustice – to the grave – and what that means for us as lawyers.
About the Speaker: Lory Barsdate Easton
Lory worked as an ombudsman investigator for the State of Alaska before attending Yale Law School, and she then spent over 25 years in Big Law as a litigator in mass torts defense After retirement, Lory earned her Masters in Clinical Psychology from Divine Mercy University, a Roman Catholic graduate school in Virginia. Her leadership roles on the diversity and associate development committees at her multinational law firm sparked her interest in the psychological and spiritual aspects of cross-group interactions and personal/professional flourishing. In recent years she has presented at conferences of the American Psychological Association, the Association for Death Education and Counseling, and OCAMPR (Orthodox Christian Association of Medicine, Psychology, and Religion) on topics including humility for professionals, vocation as an aspect of identity, non-death loss associated with career change, and the integration of spirituality in psychotherapy. Her research interests include cultural humility, peer and coaching support for grief and loss, and identity development over the lifespan.
Lory and her husband Bob are Founding Supporters of OCAN. They have two children, an eighth grader and a high school sophomore. The Eastons are members of All Saints of North America Orthodox Church in Alexandria, Virginia, where Lory sings in the choir, teaches Sunday School, and leads charitable outreach projects. Lory is a founding board member of FOCUS North America (Fellowship of Orthodox Christians United to Serve). She also frequently presents reflections for the OCAN monthly Women's Coffee Hour.
OCAN Men's Fellowship Hour
Friday, May 2nd
12:00 noon ET / 9:00am PT
Join OCAN's Executive Director Dn. Ken Liu and other attorneys from around the country for a time of networking, fellowship, and encouraging each other in our faith through the practice of law.
Register below for a Zoom link.
PAST EVENTS
Friday, April 4th
The legal profession is not only challenging, but can also be isolating. Join women attorneys from around the country for a time of encouragement, fellowship, and spurring each other on in the faith through the practice of law.
Friday, Feb. 7th
Newport Grill Seafood Restaurant
OCAN board members and other Orthodox attorneys in Wichita, Kansas enjoyed a great get-to-know-each-other seafood dinner. Active, retired, and non-practicing attorneys, law students, and spouses are all welcome to OCAN events! Thanks to Psa. Nicole Sultani for hosting this fun evening. If you would like to sponsor an event in your city, please let us know so we can help.
Confidentiality of Confession
IN THE ORTHODOX CANONICAL TRADITION,
AND ITS LEGAL CHALLENGES
In a majority of U.S. states, clergy are considered mandatory reporters of child abuse. Generally, such laws have carved out an exception for information clergy learns during Confession. In recent years however, multiple states have removed, or made efforts to remove, this exception. This webinar will explore the canonical support and rationale for the confidentiality of Confession in the Orthodox tradition. An understanding of this will allow an evaluation and hopefully a response to these legal challenges.
Speaker: Archdeacon Justin Bosl earned his J.D. from the University of San Francisco School of Law after studying philosophy at Franciscan University of Steubenville. For nearly 19 years he was a trial lawyer and shareholder at Kazan, McClain, Satterley & Greenwood in Oakland, California representing injured workers and consumers in toxic tort litigation. In 2023, he resigned from the firm to focus full-time on serving the Church. He graduated from the diaconate program at Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology and holds a M.Div. from the Antiochian House of Studies. He is currently enrolled in the Th.M. program at Holy Cross. He serves as the Archdeacon of the Greek Orthodox Metropolis of San Francisco as well as the chair of the Metropolis Legal Committee and serves on a variety of boards and committees for the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese and Assembly of Canonical Orthodox Bishops. He and his wife have four children and live in the San Francisco Bay Area.
If you missed the webinar or wish to share it with others, click below for the recording and presentation slides.
OCAN board members enjoyed some great meetings and dinner with other Orthodox attorneys this year. In July, OCAN members gathered in Alaska. Then, in September, we met in Washington, D.C. On November 8th, an enjoyable meal and networking in Chicago allowed us an opportunity to meet other attorneys in a variety of practice areas and Orthodox jurisdictions. We all look forward to future meetings.
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Alaska in June |
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Washington, DC in September |
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Chicago in November |
DISCLAIMER OF ENDORSEMENT
The Orthodox Christian Attorney Network is committed to serving as a forum for attorneys of various backgrounds to come together and explore how to live out our Orthodox Christian faith in our careers. The views or opinions of any speakers, panelists, or moderators are their own and do not necessarily state or represent the views of the Orthodox Christian Attorney Network. Any reference to any persons or organizations does not constitute or imply any endorsement, recommendation or approval of such persons or organizations, including their mission, activities, products, or services.