Many lawyers are dissatisfied — queasy about what they do, troubled about their firms and unhappy in a variety of ways. It is no secret that, among lawyers, alcoholism, drug addiction and depression all run higher than the national average. In his book, “Transforming Practices: Finding Joy and Satisfaction in the Legal Life” (Contemporary Books, 1999, 231 pp. $24.95), Steven Keeva, senior editor of The ABA Journal, provides a novel diagnosis and some radical prescriptions for this malaise.
Most of Keeva’s theories and solutions have a “New Age” feel to them, probably due to his reliance on humanistic psychology and spirituality. To cure what ails the lawyer’s soul, he explores such theories as integration (including ecstatic, or peak, experiences), balance, contemplation, mindfulness, taking time out (finding a personal Walden in the everyday), healing, mindful listening and service.
