This type of law practice is focused on that spiritual calling that called many
to the practice of law, to heal conflict, to find meaning in work. Although some
lawyers who take this approach are profoundly religious, the focus of this type
of law practice is based in the inner part of us all, our awareness, vitality,
awake-ness, that is so often put aside by lawyers whose business is to manage
the conflict of others and meet the next deadline.
Steven Keeva, a senior editor of the ABA Journal, has written a ground-breaking
book about lawyers who have redesigned their lives and thereby transformed their
law practices by taking a more spiritual approach. Keeva's book is a
breakthrough in mainstreaming the work that used to be considered fringe or on
the edge.
Transforming Practices
Finding Joy and Satisfaction in the Legal Life
This book offers a new take on why so many of American's nearly one
million lawyers have become disillusioned with their careers. By looking at the
practices of lawyers who have brought a spiritual approach to their work and
have, in turn, discovered renewed meaning in what they do, Transforming
Practices makes it clear that the opportunity for transformation exists for
every lawyer in every kind of practice.
In this landmark book, author Steve Keeva shows how by cultivating
a vibrant inner life, any lawyer can find fulfillment, pleasure, and joy in his
or her work. Through the use of narrative, interviews, and anecdotes that draw
upon the experiences of lawyers from a broad spectrum of practice areas,
Transforming Practices demonstrates that it is OK for a lawyer to be human, to
care, to let the values and priorities that matter at home also matter at work.
Transforming Practices convincingly shows that lawyers who are able to minimize
the gap between their professional selves and their humanity practice in a more
conscious, flexible, creative, and compassionate way and come to serve their
clients more effectively.
At the heart of Transforming Practices is a series of chapters that
examine seven different kinds of spiritually informed law practices: The
Balanced Practice, The Contemplative Practice, The Mindful Practice, The
Time-Out Practice, The Healing Practice, The Listening Practice, and The Service
Practice. These chapters realize one meaning of the book's title, as each
describes a practice that can fundamentally change the experience of practicing
law. Through the stories of professionals who are working to heal the rift
between their hearts and their minds, a picture emerges of what "spiritual
lawyering" looks like and how reviving and satisfying such work can be.
Transforming Practices strives to be an oasis for lawyers, a source
of inspiration and revitalization for a profession that is coping with
unprecedented change on the one hand and an unforgiving public on the other. It
is both a cautionary tale and a message of hope for practicing lawyers, for law
students, and for anyone considering a career in
law. From the Book Jacket,
Reprinted with permission of the author
Keeva has his
own website for discussing ideas raised in the book. You may find it at www.transformingpractices.com.
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