If anything, it has seemed that judges and their work have become even more the subject of late night chattering heads on television. The ratings service tells us that a substantial number of our fellow citizens rely on these sources for part of what they learn about the American court system. We could hope for better – and maybe even help supply more reliable material – but there's not much we can do to upgrade the quality of the talking heads.

What we can do is be thoughtful and steadfast in dispensing justice, especially at times when the judiciary is in somebody's bullseye. This is a sometimes lonely challenge. Judicial Balance searches for the best insights and advice about how judges might make their own personal and professional way through the judicial career. Our editor, Deidre Baxter Cheng, whose e-mail appears at the end of the issue, would be especially happy to receive ideas and items you might wish to contribute.

Randall T. Shepard,
Chief Justice of Indiana

Bench Blogs

These days, there’s a web log (better known as a “blog”) for everything, including matters legal and judicial. Opinions regarding judicial blogging run the gamut: some feel that judges should never blog; others see many benefits as long as judges adhere to the Judicial Canons of Ethics. Proponents suggest that such sharing of information is extremely helpful to the bench and beneficial to public understanding of the justice system. The big question for legal professionals, and perhaps especially for judges, is where to draw the line if you choose to participate? The National Judicial College offers some basic “do’s and don’ts” to make your experience beneficial for everyone. Wherever you stand on the issue, one thing is certain: the web is today’s primary communications vehicle with only more growth expected. Blogs aren’t going away. Please see, “Bench Blogging: Where Should Judges, Lawyers, and Court Personnel Draw the Line?” by Heather Singer, Case In Point, Spring/Summer 2007. National Judicial College. Please scroll to page 3.

http://www.judges.org/pdf/cip_summer07.pdf

Marriage Matters

One of the greatest predictors of a successful relationship is where it ranks on your list of priorities. Studies show that a marriage or partnership is the most taken-for-granted relationship in our lives. Author Joseph Shaub reminds us that time together is the oxygen of marriage and even a life-long relationship is composed of small moments. Shaub draws from three excellent resources – Joan Didion’s A Year of Magical Thinking, William Doherty’s Take Back Your Marriage and John Gottman and Nan Silver’s Seven Principles for Making Marriage Work – to recommend how we can give our spouse the priority he or she deserves on a regular basis. It’s worth the investment – for you, your spouse, and your children. Please see, “Put Your Marriage in Your In-Box: Time Together is the Oxygen of Marriage,” by Joseph Shaub, The Complete Lawyer, Vol. 3, Number 5.

http://alabama.thecompletelawyer.com/volume3/issue5/article.php?ppaid=4248&apage=

Mind the Gap

The workplace can be a tricky environment to negotiate. Four generations occupy today’s typical office: the Greatest Generation, Baby Boomers, Generation X, and Generation Y. Each group views the world through its own lens, and approaches life with a unique set of values and expectations about how the world should work. Each group has a different comfort level with technology, a different approach to problem solving, and operates under different motivations. Although we must be wary of generalizing people simply because they were born around the same time, understanding other generations can have a major impact on a professional environment. Authors Sarah J. Read and Susanne C. Medley offer specifics on learning about and effectively working among several generations. The key is communication, and the result is better productivity and a better work environment. Please see, “Effective Leadership in a Multigenerational Firm: Make a Difference,” by Sarah J. Read and Susanne C. Medley, Precedent, Winter 2007. Missouri Bar Association (scroll to page 43).

http://members.mobar.org/pdfs/precedent/feb-07.pdf

Confronting the Unthinkable: Saving Us from Suicide

Suicide is the eighth leading cause of death in the United States. This statistic does not account for the innumerable attempts that occur each year. Equally alarming, lawyers as a group are twice as likely to commit suicide as the general public. Odds are, each of us will be affected by such tragedy at some point. Communication is the key to prevention: we must learn about suicide, talk about suicide, and be willing to intervene for someone showing signs of ending his life. Author David M. Woolridge discusses common signs of depression and potential suicide, and shares practical ways of confronting someone in a caring manner. His “QPR” model (question, persuade, and refer) is one way to reach out. Statistics show that asking someone about suicide, and listening to their response, reduces the risk of tragedy significantly. Be prepared. Please see, “Addressing the Unthinkable: How You Can Constructively Deal With the Problem of Suicide,” by David M. Woolridge, Alabama Lawyer, March 2007.

http://www.alabar.org/publications/pastissues/0107/addressing_suicide.pdf

Mind Over...Mind?

It is fair to say that most people drawn to the legal profession aren’t frequently rubbing elbows with practitioners of meditation. Yet, things change. People from all walks of life are increasingly seeking ways to manage the chaos that confronts them daily. “Mindfulness meditation” is a method of disengaging from our personal preconceptions and habits, especially those in the form of mental patterns that can be detrimental to our goals and well being. The point? To become familiar with our mental and emotional landscape; to live in the moment; and, of course, to reduce the stress that controls much of what we do and how we feel. Author J. Patton Hyman provides an in-depth discussion of mindfulness meditation and its applicability to the legal profession. The benefits aren’t exactly arguable. Please see, “The Mindful Lawyer: Mindfulness Meditation and Law Practice,” by J. Patton Hyman, Esq., Vermont Bar Journal, Summer 2007; Vol. 33, no. 2.

http://www.vtbar.org/Images/Journal/journalarticles/summer2007/TheMindfulLawyer.pdf

Keep Your Balance

Many people view judges as having reached the pinnacle of their careers, a type of place where life falls into line gracefully. Most accomplished professionals, however, know differently: life is a balancing act no matter what your position or degree of success. Author George W. Kaufman (and former law firm partner for forty years) and the ABA have released the second edition of The Lawyer’s Guide to Balancing Life and Work: Taking the Stress Out of Success. Kaufman’s work offers practical examples and exercises to help lawyers reconcile their goals and expectations within the realities of the legal profession. The work is divided into three sections – your history; evaluation of your current situation; and an examination of how law fits into your life – all with the goal of helping you understand yourself and your priorities. As noted by one reviewer, “…depending on where you are in your own professional journey, Kaufman’s book is likely to be reaffirming or very unsettling. Read it anyhow.” Please see two reviews for The Lawyer’s Guide to Balancing Life and Work: Taking the Stress Out of Success, 2nd edition, by George W. Kaufman (Chicago, IL: ABA Law Practice Management Section, 2006):

*Review by Patrick R. Burns, Wisconsin Lawyer, August 2007. http://www.wisbar.org/AM/Template.cfm?Section=Wisconsin_ Lawyer&template=/CM/ContentDisplay.cfm&contentid=66639#3

*Review by Dan Pinnington, Law Practice Today, February 2007. http://www.abanet.org/lpm/lpt/articles/mgt02071.shtml

The book may be ordered at http://www.lawpractice.org/publications.shtml