Life Doesn’t Get Easier: But we get better at hard things
At some point, most of us have believed (or promised ourselves) a version of this: Once I get through the next thing, life will finally calm down.
• After 1L year, law school will get easier.
• After the bar exam, life will be easier.
• After I get the job, make partner and find my footing, then it will be easier.
• After this trial or deal wraps up … then it will be easier.
Bad news: The “magically easy” chapter never arrives. Good news: We build strength, judgment and grit—one hard thing at a time.
Law school taught us far more than doctrine and “lawyerly” writing. It taught us how to:
• Operate in uncertainty.
• Navigate complicated (and sometimes contradictory) information.
• Advocate when the “right answer” isn’t obvious.
Those are the same muscles we use every day in practice.
History tells the same story. The colonists hoped life would be easier once they secured their “natural” rights. Then they hoped it would be easier after declaring independence and building a new nation and a new government.
That perspective matters as we mark the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. It’s a reminder of the role lawyers played then—and the role we play now: solving problems, steadying systems and doing the hard work of upholding the rule of law. Things don’t necessarily get easier, but we can get better at the hard things.
The Declaration of Independence did not immediately make things easier. Throughout history, we have had to work to actualize the “natural rights” of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. We revere the declaration, but we also see the blind spots and limitations of our very human founders. Many owned enslaved people. Most did not imagine women, people of color and others on society’s margins fully participating in (and benefiting from) the American experiment.
We are also far more attuned to the declaration’s harmful language about Native Americans. And we understand the ongoing work of making our institutions more inclusive—even as we continue to wrestle with the promise in the words “all men are created equal.”
Getting better at hard things is also the work of organizations—including the American Bar Association. In my time in the ABA, I’ve heard the familiar refrain: “It will be easier when …”
• We modernize membership and welcome more members.
• We launch a new website (one that behaves).
• Sections, divisions, forums and committees work across silos more often—and more easily.
(Spoiler: It’s never easier. But we do get better.)
As we lead our profession and defend the rule of law, we grow stronger. The ABA is getting better at doing the hard things.
• Standing up to intimidation of lawyers and law firms.
• Explaining why a diverse, inclusive, and equitable legal system matters—even when the very mention of those words draws misunderstanding.
• Continuing our work accrediting law schools and evaluating federal judicial candidates amid assumptions from those who haven’t taken the time to look at our record.
Doing hard things can take a toll. That’s why I’m especially grateful for the members who show up, serve and give back—and for our dedicated staff, who bring expertise, commitment and real heart to the work. We should also be honest about the weight our challenges place on both members and staff and keep taking care of one another.
When you do hard things well—consistently, ethically and thoughtfully—people come to rely on you. The same is true for institutions. The ABA has done the hard things for generations, and the profession has come to count on us. That’s exactly what we want: an ABA that is a home for all lawyers and a trusted voice for the profession.
It has been my honor to serve this association. As I pass the gavel to our new president, Barb Howard, I know we will continue to meet challenges, build solutions and strengthen our profession and country together.
The work may not get easier—but at least we keep getting better. n
Email President Behnke at [email protected].
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