[For the last several weeks, the server which hosts Cutting Edge Law has been experiencing some cascading technical issues.  Our outgoing emails have been blocked as spam, refused by the email providers before they even enter your box.   New subscribers have bounced.  I haven't been able to post and email.  A team of technical experts has been at work and some of you may get this in your email.  This is a test and if it makes it through, I have a lot more to say in the coming days.]

Pro Se Nation, Princeton TV

Mary Lynn Schiavi is the host of Pro Se Nation: understand the law for oneself.  The show seeks to help the average person better understand the law and legal principles.  

Mary Lynn served as writer, producer, host, and narrator for more than 40 episodes of Matter and Beyond, a television program exploring the philosophical and ethical dimensions of science and technology. The program exploring artificial intelligence received an Emmy Award in 2009 for "Outstanding Health/Science Programming." 

In this episode of Pro Se Nation, Mary Lynn interviewed me.  The show is playing on Princeton TV but is also available at this link:

Lawyers as Peacemakers  

The next episode will feature Linda Alvarez of Discovering Agreement.  

And you might be interested in this previous episode of Pro Se Nation 

Is Divorce with Dignity Possible?  Watch: https://vimeo.com/166963495

Sadly, anywhere from 30 to 50 percent of marriages end in divorce, but is there a way to for a couple to go their separate ways with a minimum of stress and with a sense of dignity and grace? What mindset needs to be adopted as a couple approaches divorce? At what point does it make sense to consult with a mediator? What is the biggest mistake most people make as they approach the divorce process? These, and other questions will be explore in this episode.

Just Resolutions, ABA ADR Monthly Newsletter

Hosted by the Collaborative Law Committee, this issue of Just Resolutions includes an article by me.   

Beyond ADR: Integrative Law

David Hoffman, TEDx:  Lawyers as Peacemakers, Really?!?

New ABA Books!

Discovering Agreement: Contracts That Turn Conflict Into Creativity

By Linda Graham Alvarez

Imagine a contract that

·   stimulates and supports rapid return to alignment and productivity in the face of unexpected change

·   inspires side-by-side problem-solving rather than adversarial confrontation when parties disagree

·    learns with the business as it navigates the ever-changing, digital-speed, modern marketplace.

Discovering Agreement is an innovative approach to generating legally enforceable documents that embed responsive, resilient operating systems into contractual relationships. This practical, easily implemented process empowers parties to build sustainable business relationships, replacing the old-style foundation of distrust and adversarial posturing with one of alignment and affinity – without sacrificing either party's power or credibility.

Using the Discovering Agreement model, parties create documents that support and sustain agile, adaptable business relationships aligned with the core vision and values of the parties. This model provides a safer, more stable and trustworthy foundation for framing and conducting business relationships, enabling parties to create stronger, more sustainable and enjoyable ventures that can endure and prosper in the midst of disagreement or crisis.

With engaging prose, personal stories, real-life examples, and practical guides for conducting negotiations and drafting agreements, Discovering Agreement empowers readers to generate immediate, positive change in their legal interactions and in how the legal system impacts their business relationships. When put into practice, Discovering Agreement has the added potential of catalyzing long-term, systemic change in the legal system itself.

The Anxious Lawyer  

by Jeena Cho and Karen Gifford

The Anxious Lawyer provides a straightforward 8-week introductory program on meditation and mindfulness, created by lawyers for lawyers. The program draws on examples from Cho and Gifford’s professional and personal lives to create an accessible and enjoyable entry into practices that can reduce anxiety, improve focus and clarity, and enrich the quality of life.

Interest in meditation and mindfulness has skyrocketed in recent years, thanks largely to neuroimaging and the body of scientific research that has validated the many benefits of these practices. Sadly, the legal community has for the most part been left out, even though lawyers would clearly benefit from mindfulness. Many lawyers feel hesitant to try meditation, which can seem alien and inaccessible from the vantage point of a professional culture that places great value on logic and reason.

Jeena Cho and Karen Gifford set out to help address this gap in The Anxious Lawyer. Both Cho and Gifford began meditating as practicing attorneys, and have firsthand knowledge of the difficulties and rewards of legal practice. They experienced how meditation and mindfulness practices support a more effective and enjoyable legal practice. Both also found unexpected rewards of meditation that go deeper: better self understanding, more rewarding relationships and a deeper feeling of connection with the world.