Fast-Tracked Podcast Episode 14: Jess Sargus, former litigator and founder of The Legal Athlete, discusses the intersection of elite athletic performance and trial law. She shares how applying the performance, resilience, and wellness strategies she learned as a professional mixed martial artist and coach can help trial lawyers manage stress and avoid burnout. Sargus also introduces the concept of “glimmers” — small moments of joy that rewire the brain for positivity.
PLI’s Fast-Tracked: Emergent Issues in the Legal Profession podcast, brings you conversations with thought leaders, delving into the most dynamic trends shaping the legal world. PLI is proud to keep you ever current with timely programs, publications, and podcasts. Visit pli.edu/ftpod for more episodes.
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Featured In This Episode
Jess Sargus
Jess Sargus is the founder of The Legal Athlete, a coaching and consulting company dedicated to helping high-performance trial lawyers achieve peak mental performance, master high-stakes pressure, and build sustainable, fulfilling careers. Jess’s unique approach blends 22 years of experience in law, business, and combat sports with cutting-edge tools from neuroscience, sports psychology, and mental performance mastery.
Before launching The Legal Athlete, Jess held executive legal and business leadership roles across a diverse range of industries. She served as Global Head of Business Affairs and Vice President of Legal at Jellysmack, a unicorn startup in the creator economy, where she built and led legal operations during its rapid global expansion, including its $1 billion+ valuation. At Marvel Studios and Disney, Jess negotiated and managed complex talent and production deals for blockbuster films, streaming series, and theme park productions. She’s also served in leadership roles in personal injury, mass tort, and corporate litigation law firms across the country. Additionally, Jess founded The Brazen Sports Agency, where she represented professional boxers and MMA athletes and negotiated high-profile sponsorship and media deals.
Jess helps trial lawyers master their mental game and thrive long-term with strategies from science, sports psychology, and neuroscience, enabling them to achieve extraordinary results without burnout in the demanding world of litigation.
As the creator and host of The Legal Athlete podcast, Jess shares science-backed insights and practical tools to help lawyers elevate their performance. She is a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School and Williams College, and she is admitted to practice in New York, Texas, and Pennsylvania, as well as in federal and appellate courts across the United States.
