This book is many things - 2 books in one; a hothouse of numberless surveys; sourcebook for further research. It is factual, dark, frightening, compelling, objective, a must-read. It is hopeful, optimistic, wholesome.
It has one focus, and direction - the community of lawyers - a breed that others love to hate; the subject of unending ridicule, hatred, and pungent humour; ambulance chasers, cold, aseptic; masculine, competitive, commercial.
Are we all so? What makes us so? Why this universal dislike? Diacoff has a terrible task on hand. And she comes out with flying colours.
She shortlists 3 emerging problems - (1)a lack of "professionalism" - frequent complaints of incivility, discourtesy, "Rambo-style" litigation, unethical behaviour, poor conduct of lawyers and judges; (2) low public opinion of lawyers and the legal profession; and (3) low levels of job satisfaction, and mental well-being among lawyers, distress, alcoholism, and substance abuse.
Diacoff's solution? Comprehensive lawyering that looks as much to pyschological needs, emotions, and relations with others as to rights, duties, and obligations. Again on the force of all-round research, she suggests 10 vectors of this "change-movement". All seek to prevent litigation, encourage collaborative approach to problem-solving, aim at the "well-being" of all parties, interdisciplinary, allows them to share power equally, allows the lawyer to function in harmony with her morals and beliefs. These vectors include preventive law, procedural justice, problem-solving courts, restorative justice.