In May, the ISBA Affiliate Membership Committee welcomed Patrice Borders, JD, as the keynote speaker of this year’s Paralegal Symposium: a six-hour seminar developed exclusively for paralegals, by paralegals, with programming designed to help attendees stay at the forefront of trends impacting the future of the profession.

The Founder & CEO of AmplifyEI, Patrice spoke on the important role that emotional intelligence (EI) plays in building healthy, effective workplaces, especially in the legal field.

Emotional Intelligence in the Legal Field

Legal professionals work in high-stakes, high-pressure environments. They juggle tight deadlines, complex client needs, and emotionally charged situations. It’s no surprise that burnout and workplace stress are common challenges across the profession.

This is where emotional intelligence comes in. At its core, EI allows us to engage with intention rather than operating on autopilot. One powerful way to do this is through the Pause, Process, and Pick™ practice created by Patrice Borders. It’s a mindful method that invites us to pause, reflect on what we’re feeling and thinking, and then pick our responses with intention. This capacity to reflect and choose wisely is essential not only for client interactions but also for teamwork and workplace culture. As Patrice shared during her session, EI is one of the top competencies that 82% of global leaders say are crucial in an “AI-powered future.”

In law, where effective communication, trust, and empathy are fundamental, EI is not just a “soft” skill—it’s a necessary leadership skill.

“EI is not just a 'soft' skill—it’s a necessary leadership skill.”

The 7 Keys to Emotional Intelligence™

To help hone this skill, Patrice introduced Symposium attendees to her 7 Keys to Emotional Intelligence™ model, a practical framework that unlocks key behaviors proven to help individuals and teams thrive:

1. Center – Ground yourself in the present and create space to respond thoughtfully.
2. Comprehend – Build self-awareness by checking in with your emotions and noticing how they influence your behavior.
3. Connect – Strengthen trust through authentic relationships by knowing what matters to those around you.
4. Communicate – Go beyond exchanging words by listening in a way that ensures people feel both heard and understood.
5. Collaborate – Recognize that meaningful progress requires openness, shared goals, and respect for diverse perspectives.
6. Conflict – Approach disagreements with curiosity and calm, seeing them as opportunities for growth rather than threats.
7. Culture – Embed these practices into your workplace to nurture an environment where people feel safe, valued, and motivated.

Each key represents an intentional microshift, a small but powerful change in how we engage with ourselves and others. Together, these microshifts—pausing, checking in, listening deeply—add up to major transformations in how we lead and work.

Carrying the Message Forward

The session went beyond theory and offered attendees real, applicable techniques that translated the science of emotional intelligence into microshifts they could practice in their daily work. The opportunity to pause, reflect, and practice EI tools in real time gave attendees a shared experience of connection and emphasized how essential these skills are for building stronger teams and healthier workplaces.

The challenge now is to put these teachings into action. Emotional intelligence is not a one-time lesson, but a mindset that grows stronger with each moment of practice. Leveraging the human-centered skills that Patrice introduced is critical to building thriving workplace cultures within the legal profession.

For those who want to continue exploring, Patrice shares more about the 7 Keys and her work through AmplifyEI and in her TEDx Talk, The Exponential Power of Emotional Intelligence. With a background in law, coaching, and organizational leadership, she brings both professional and personal insight into how emotional intelligence can shape perspectives, improve collaboration, and sustain well-being in demanding fields like ours.

Her message to our community was clear: emotional intelligence is not optional. It is essential.

“The challenge now is to put these teachings into action. Emotional intelligence is not a one-time lesson, but a mindset that grows stronger with each moment of practice.”