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Transforming Practices : Finding Joy and Satisfaction in the Legal Life

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Nearly every practicing lawyer owns and carries a briefcase. If each lawyer's briefcase contained a worn, dog-eared, repeatedly read copy of Steve Keeva's remarkable book, Transforming Practices: Finding Joy and Satisfaction in the Legal Life, the practice of law would be a much more joyful place. My copy is extensively underlined, highlighted and adorned with yellow Post-Its to mark the multiple epiphanies I found in each chapter. Out of the hundreds of books and articles I have read on lawyering over my thirty-two years of practice, none have given me as many "ah-hah's" as I received from Transforming Practices.

The genius of Keeva's book is his recognition and description of the crises in the legal profession as a spiritual crisis requiring inner work as the solution. This spiritual crisis comes in part from a lack of congruence between lawyers' daily work and their core values and yearnings. In other words, what we do every day on the outside is dissonant from how we feel on the inside. It has long been thought that the solution is for the lawyer to simply compartmentalize his or her life, e.g., do and say things at work that would not be appropriate in other settings, such as with family, friends, or in the community. However, it is now clear that the compartmentalization approach simply does not work and produces even greater distress.

In order to bring more harmony and joy into lawyers' lives and work, Keeva outlines a number of practices designed to minimize the gap between lawyer's professional selves and their humanity. His descriptions of The Balanced Practice, The Contemplative Practice, The Mindful Practice, The Time-out Practice, The Healing Practice, The Listening Practice, and The Service Practice ignites unlimited new hope and possibilities for lawyers who felt doomed to a meaningless work life. Since maximizing the fulfillment from one's law practice requires both inner and outer work, Keeva provides practical tips at the end of each chapter so lawyers can begin to implement these theories in their work immediately.

Keeva's book should be required reading for anyone even remotely interested in the legal profession. It has served me well in several ways. As a trial lawyer for over 30 years, I continue to search for ways to bring the most meaning, joy and compassion into my work. This book has proved to be a continuing source of inspiration and renewal in my quest. Since I devote part of my professional time to coaching other lawyers on transformation and quality of life issues, I have found this book to be an excellent teaching and coaching vehicle for my attorney clients. I am extremely grateful to Keeva for this invaluable book. It is my hope that it will someday be every lawyer's companion and professional bible.

There was a joke a few years back about a Russian banker. The devil appeared and told him he could have control over one of the largest banks in the country. All he would have to do was sign over his, his wife's, and their children's souls for all eternity. The banker hesitated, thought for a moment and finally looked at the impatient demon "I don't get it," he said quizzically "what's the catch?" Too many Americans think of lawyers as (sorry!) soulmates to this mythical banker and too many lawyers act and live in ways that justify this belief. Part of this comes with the territory: we ask lawyers to do unpleasant things for us, be greedy and unreasonable for us in business and matrimonial disputes, help us hide from the consequences of our actions in criminal cases, and sometimes stretch the envelope in getting us what we feel we are owed in any number of types of claims. We judge lawyers by how well they do these things and then (depending which side of the dispute we were on) salve our consciences or get even by disdaining them for doing what we want them to do. Lawyers, like many other people, fall easily into their ascribed roles. Many of them revel in how unscrupulous they are, how cleverly they helped miscreants escape, etc. And, of course, many of these personality traits have appeared in people running legal organizations: greed, amorality, lack of connection with the human consequences of their actions. Is this only in law? I don't think so. Steven Keeva's book brings light into this dark and shadowy place. He shows some lawyers who are opting out of this world of mindless, soulless predation and are finding ways to allow their work to nurture, rather than prey upon, their souls. His book is a treasury of insights, stories, and techniques, designed to keep the best people (the ones who want to know what they are doing and who care about what it means) in law and to connect the best of what all people in law have to offer with the work that lawyers do. Along the way, he offers insights into how lawyers can transform themselves and their practices in ways that will benefit themselves and their clients and some glimpses into the larger movement in American life that is seeking to bring meaning and satisfaction into our lives at work (the anti-Dilbert movement). If every lawyer in America read this book carefully, perhaps the high rate of job dissatisfaction in this profession would change. Certainly the legal world would be a better place. There is much to read and ponder here for workers in all fields in which human lives and values are at stake. Here is a way to build a bridge back from alienation to meaning and joy. I hope people read it and find the courage to act on its wonderful message. I guess it means something that I've written this much and said nothing about the book's writing and organization. That's what reading it was like. The technical sides of the book were so unobtrusively excellent that all I focused on was the message. I don't know higher praise for a book.

As a career counselor who often works with disillusioned and unhappy attorneys, I really appreciated Steve Keeva's book for its understanding of the inherent difficulties in practicing law and its wise and compassionate solution.

For unhappy lawyers who still want to practice law, but also want to enjoy it more, Keeva's book is an important reminder that, while we may not be able to transform a whole profession, each and every one of us has the power to transform ourselves. It takes just as much courage for lawyers to stand up for themselves as it does to stand up for their clients.

I thank Steve Keeva for writing this book and can only hope that his readers heed his message and heal themselves.

If you are a lawyer who feels overwhelmed, unfulfilled or just plain angry with your practice (or love someone who is) this book is your compass to happiness. Steven Keeva has found a variety of lawyers who love their work and he carefully analyzes why. He will guide you, step-by-step, back to satisfaction, or show you where it is if you have never been there. Better yet, buy this book for an aspiring lawyer at the beginning of the journey...it is the best gift you could offer.

Steve Keeva's new book is godsend to any frustrated lawyer who can't now recall why he or she ever became a lawyer! This is not simply another "feel good" book, although you will feel good when you are done reading it. This book offers concrete strategies for improving your practice of law and having more fun in your life. I highly recommend it!

Transforming Practices truly is a gift to lawyers, like me, who have been practicing for many years and want to continue practicing law in a satisfying and meaningful way. This book has been one of my best investments, and I keep it on my desk at work. Reading, or in my case rereading, Steven Keeva's inspirational words provides a much needed boost in spirit, and a new way of looking at the legal life, even on a difficult day! My colleagues who have read this book wholeheartedly agree!

For too long lawyers and their public have been talking - and only talking - about what is wrong with the legal profession. Steve Keeva opens a powerful conversation about how to change it, one lawyer at a time. Chapter after chapter offers real life stories, great suggestions, historical and personal perspective to help lawyers identify new ways of being lawyers AND human beings! Every lawyer will want to read this book. It offers hope for the weary, solutions for the burned-out and innovation for those feeling stuck. Buy it. It just could be the best thing you've ever done.

Steven Keeva (who is not a lawyer but has spent many years observing and writing about them) here provides an assortment of advice, tips, and real-life examples to help you become a better lawyer and a better person. While I found much of the book to be old news, every 10 pages or so Keeva says something eye-opening, memorable, and truly instructive. The chapters on listening and service were, for me, the real pay-off, and I know I will be going back to them frequently. By contrast, his portrayal of litigators, trials, and especially corporate practice struck me as simplistic and a bit stereotyped. In addition, those who are unreceptive to the touchy-feely approach to problem-solving should be warned that this book is nothing if not touchy-feely. That said -- and notwithstanding my other qualifications -- this book is an *important* contribution to the literature of professionalism and lawyers' "mental hygiene" (as Prof. Stone of Harvard has called it). Since this book is also a quick read, every lawyer and law student who even suspects it may be helpful should give it a try and then keep it close at hand.

Transforming Practices is a wonderfully discerning publication, addressing so many issues unique to practicing lawyers.

This book takes us back to, when we first started to aspire to become a lawyer, and go to law school. It also addresses what happens to many of those same aspirations, once we begin your daily legal practice.

Transforming Practices, written by a lawyer, for lawyers, has assisted me in redirecting myself to a more fulfilling legal career.

Transforming Practices, is without a doubt, a bench mark publication, addressing issues too often ignored in our law schools across America. A 'must read' book; it is without hesitation that I give this book my highest recommendation to all lawyers, or future lawyers.

I finally got my copy last week, and I have scarcely put the book down since. It has multiple yellow stickies where I have found gems not to be lost.

I was fortunate to be one of the people who talked to Steve early on, when this was to be a feature article, before it grew into a book. it was worth the wait, and a predict the effects of this book and the dialogue it begins will be profound. It is healing, and in a sense long overdue. And yet, it is altogether the most heartening thing I have read in a long long time.

Carroll Straus