Law as a Healing Profession

      "The entire legal profession - lawyers, judges, law teachers - have become so mesmerized with the stimulation of the courtroom contest that we tend to forget that we ought to be healers - healers of conflicts.  Doctors, in spite of astronomical medical costs, still retain a high degree of public confidence because they are perceived as healers.  Should lawyers not be healers?  Healers, not warriors?  Healers, not procurers?  Healers not hired guns?"

Chief Justice Warren Burger, speech given at the Midyear Meeting of the American Bar Association on February 12, 1984.

 Some lawyers resonate with thinking of the law as a healing profession.  Their daily law practices are guided by a commitment to healing. For example, John McShane of Dallas asks his clients to sign an agreement to take on their legal matter as a healing process.

     Many of the other approaches could be considered as law as a healing profession. There are some specific projects related to law as a healing profession.  Attorney and Retreat Leader Stella Rabaut (stellamr@aol.com) leads retreats on Law as a Healing Profession.  The Fetzer Institute (www.fetzer.org) has a project for Law and Healing. 

     See also Therapeutic Jurisprudence, Law and Energetic Healing.



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