Keep calm and call your lawyer. Oh sh*t, that's me.

There’s a particular look I see in the eyes of lawyers when something has gone badly wrong. Maybe you’ve missed a deadline. Perhaps the clause you carefully drafted says something entirely different from what you intended. Or maybe the wrong document ended up in court. And then it hits you — that sickening, stomach-dropping moment of “Oh my God… I’m going to be sued. My client is going to hate me.”

We’ve all been there.

Today, I want to talk about what to do in that moment — the moment of panic — so that instead of looking like someone flailing under pressure, you can show up as someone who is calm, grounded, and solution-focused.

Mistakes Happen — It’s How You Handle Them That Counts

Let’s start with a hard truth: mistakes are inevitable, especially in the high-pressure, fast-moving world of law. When you’re drafting contracts at 11:30 p.m., juggling client demands and urgent emails, it’s only human that something might slip through.

But what I often see in my coaching work is this belief among lawyers that they must be perfect. That’s the first mistake.

The second? Believing you can control that immediate panic reaction. You can’t.

And third — thinking you can think clearly while in a state of panic. You won’t.

And lastly, blurting everything out to your team or colleagues before grounding yourself emotionally — that doesn’t make you look like someone in control. That makes you look like someone in panic.

What to Do Instead: A Process for Moving Through Panic

The most effective professionals — those who truly shine — are the ones who have a process. A personal strategy for moving from panic → calm → solution.

Here's a process you can adapt:

1. Acknowledge the Panic

Don't fight it. You’ll lose. Instead, say to yourself:

“I feel panic. I see it. I hear it. It’s okay.”

This acceptance helps the emotion pass through. Denying it only strengthens it.

2. Use Language to Reclaim Your Brain

Say it out loud — “I am panicking.”
Why? Because the moment you name an emotion, you're activating your prefrontal cortex — the rational part of your brain — and starting to move out of fight-or-flight mode.

3. Step Away

Get up. Walk around the block. Make tea. Do some deep breathing. Your only goal is to calm your nervous system. Not to solve the problem — not yet.

4. Return to Your Desk With Intention

Clear your space. Get focused. Then ask yourself:

• What exactly is the problem?

• What are the consequences?

• What are three possible solutions?

• What are the pros and cons of each?

Choose the best path forward — even if it’s not perfect — and then ask: Who needs to know? Who can help?

Only then should you approach your team, your boss, or your client.

And when you do, you say:

“Here’s what happened. Here’s my thinking. This is what I propose. What do you think?”

That’s when you appear calm. Confident. Capable.
And it’s not just an appearance — because by then, you truly are calm, confident, and capable.

Your Emotions Are Not the Enemy

As lawyers, many of you have been trained — implicitly or explicitly — to ignore your feelings. But the truth is, you're experiencing emotions all day long: anxiety, frustration, elation, fear, even boredom. Being aware of them and learning to work with them instead of against them is a powerful professional skill.

In my coaching sessions, I’ll often ask, “How did that make you feel?” And nine times out of ten, I’ll get a rational response instead of an emotional one. So I press further: Are you feeling anxious? Frustrated? Relieved?
Learning to name your feelings is a leadership skill. Full stop.

The More You Practice, the Faster You Recover

The beauty of having a process is that you get faster each time. The next time something goes wrong, you won’t spiral. You’ll say, “Okay, here’s the process. Let’s go.”

The panic still comes — but you move through it. You manage it, rather than letting it manage you.

Over to You

What’s your process for handling panic? How do you move from “Oh my God” to “Here’s the plan”? I’d love to hear your thoughts!

Until next time,
Cecilia Poullain