26 ABA Journal Advocacy articles.
Our society promotes conflicting messages about anxiety and fear. On the one hand, we are constantly told fear is no big deal. “Just face your fears!” “Do something every day that scares you!” “If your dreams don’t scare you, they’re not big enough! Get bigger, scarier dreams!” Or we are advised that fear is good for us; it’s motivating; it means we care. I’ve heard members of our profession admonish: “If you stop being scared, it’s time to leave the law.” Or some quip: “Anxiety is part of the job. It comes with the territory. Deal with it, or perhaps you should consider doing something else.”
Dec 1, 2021 1:10 AM CST
Can we lawyers step into the eudaimonic turn? What if, instead of thoroughly exhausting ourselves unearthing or stirring up problems around every corner, we also invested (and replenished) energy in fostering good?
Sep 7, 2021 9:07 AM CDT
A hive switch is a phenomenon that occurs when individuals realize they have become part of and fused within a collective; they transcend self-interest and invest in something larger than themselves.
Apr 1, 2021 1:10 AM CDT
Dec 1, 2020 1:00 AM CST
What are some lessons of this COVID-19 experience for the legal profession? What are some truths that are coming to light? Four initial lessons come to mind for lawyer and author Heidi K. Brown.
Aug 1, 2020 12:40 AM CDT
We lament a decline in civility. We reaccentuate standards of professionalism. But when do we teach junior attorneys how to mentally and physically recalibrate in a bullying moment, and if, when and how to substantively respond to the offender?
Nov 1, 2019 1:50 AM CDT
Psychological safety in the legal profession means cultivating and being an ambassador for a work environment in which asking questions, testing novel ideas and theories, taking intellectual risks and openly discussing prevention and handling of mistake-making is encouraged and welcomed.
May 1, 2019 2:15 AM CDT
U.S. Supreme Court justices use courtroom humor as a tool of advocacy and as a signal of their power and status, according to a new study of oral arguments…
Mar 12, 2019 7:30 AM CDT
Ignoring our negative mental soundtrack and automatic physical responses to stress doesn’t help us learn how to manage those tangible foes in a constructive way. I trudged forward pretending I knew what I was doing. I didn’t.
Mar 1, 2019 1:30 AM CST
When did it become so cool to be so unkind? Can our profession (and society in general) detoxify and reboot its soul? How should citizens or members of healthy and nontoxic households converse with one another?
Oct 1, 2018 1:30 AM CDT
Introverts bring clients their skills in active listening, deep methodical thinking, creative problem-solving and empathy. How can employers assess job candidates for these quiet strengths?
Aug 1, 2018 2:25 AM CDT
There are four simple rules you can give to any witness about how best to answer questions from opposing counsel.
Jun 1, 2018 1:35 AM CDT
To effect change, we can set an example through precision in our own word choices. When in doubt about the proper pronoun or title, choose the correct and inclusive one or respectfully ask.
Apr 1, 2018 2:10 AM CDT
As legal educators and practice leaders, we need to do a better job of talking about the reality of fear in lawyering and how to transform it into powerful advocacy.
Jan 1, 2018 3:10 AM CST
Do you have some purpose in mind in your persistent questioning? Are your questions a tactical gambit with a strategic goal you can articulate, at least to yourself, and hopefully it becomes apparent to others? Or are you just belaboring the obvious?
Sep 1, 2017 1:45 AM CDT
The ABA Journal wants to host and facilitate conversations among lawyers about their profession. We are now accepting thoughtful, non-promotional articles and commentary by unpaid contributors.
