Self-Defense & Mental Well-Being for Legal Professionals (5/8/25)

Strength in Practice: Self-Defense and Mental Well-Being for Legal Professionals

This is an in-person program hosted at The Chicago Bar Association building (321 S. Plymouth Court, Chicago, IL 60604).

Legal professionals often find themselves involved in matters which can lead to threats, intimidation, and even physical violence.  This two-hour course equips attorneys and judges with essential knowledge and skills to enhance their personal safety, both inside and outside of the office and courtroom. The first hour will discuss the potential for violence against attorneys and judges, by providing a sample of some real-life situations, discussing techniques for coping with trauma after a violent encounter, suggesting some simple strategies to help prepare your office to deal with active aggressors, and discuss the many health benefits of engaging in martial arts and self-defense training. 

The second hour is a low impact, stress free, hands-on class that will teach the fundamentals of situational awareness and de-escalation, with a focus on teaching attendees some basic defensive skills and concepts for addressing some of the most common unarmed attacks.  Attendees are encouraged to participate, but it is not required. Attendees will leave the class with a greater understanding of the type of violence legal professionals may encounter during their career,  while learning a range of verbal and physical skills they can continue to hone on their own, which can contribute to personal and professional safety, as well as a healthier lifestyle. 

Speaker: 
Peter Honigmann, has been a practicing attorney for 27 years, focused on civil litigation in state and federal courts, and currently works as a supervising attorney for CARPLS legal aid in Chicago. Peter is also the founder and head instructor of Best Defense Concepts, LLC, a company that focuses on teaching adults and seniors simple and effective self-defense. Peter began his journey in Kenpo Karate in 1984, and since then he has also studied: Krav Maga, Hapkido, Aikido, Escrima, Boxing, and knife-focused combatives. Peter is also licensed as an armed security guard in the State of Illinois, and holds teaching certifications for: pepper spray, expandable baton and handcuffing. Peter has given numerous presentations on self-defense to various groups, including: high schools, private companies and organizations, senior centers, park districts, libraries, and martial arts schools. Learn more at: bestdefenseconcepts.com.

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Live CBA Committee meetings and seminars will take place via Zoom webinar.  You will click on "view video" and be directly connected to the meeting/seminar on Zoom.  (You will not receive a Zoom link.)

You MUST have Zoom Desktop Client on your Mac or PC to view a live program. If using a mobile device, you must have the Zoom App (available in the App Store or Google Play).

System requirements for Mac & PC can be found here. System requirements for mobile devices can be here.  

Please note that audience members do not need video or audio access.  Audience members are able to submit questions via the chat or Q & A features of Zoom. 

Chat: Open in-meeting chat, allowing you to send chat messages to and send a message to the host, panelists, and attendees (if permitted). Question & Answer: Open the Q&A window, allowing you to ask questions to the host and panelists. They can either reply back to you via text in the Q&A window or answer your question live.