The inspiration for setting up this blog is my vision of a transformed profession where the lawyers are fulfilled, living balanced lives and making a real difference in society. The people who inspired me to do it are Stephanie Allen West, a US lawyer and academic of many years standing and a passion for exploring what is possible in law, Kim Wright and Donna Boris (also US lawyers and founders of http://www.renaissancelawyer.com/).
As I experiment with methods and approaches to practice that allow me to achieve unusual results, I face my fears of inadequacy and step beyond them because I see that when I do something else happens. For instance, in offering two existing clients who had fallen out badly to come in whilst I acted as a neutral observer, they were able to get in touch with their feelings for each other and indeed reported later that they had never known such open and honest communication in 12 years together.
Whilst I do not normally do this sort of work (being a commercial lawyer), I am committed to building relationships that work and this clumsy first attempt was one of the most moving experiences I have had in 22 years of practice. If I make a bold commitment to clients and trust myself even in the face of no support or training, new things show up. I am creating a firm in which all members of the team fulfill their potential for contribution by developing their innate skills and ability to trust themselves. This blog is about the journey of exploration, of sharing experiences, the highs, the lows, the cries for help. Please spread the word and help create an effective legal system from which we can all draw strength.
Maitland
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