Simple methods. Rapid results.
Better, happier lawyers.
"The mindfulness training has been immensely helpful... my productivity, focus, and effectiveness have increased, and my stress has decreased."
-Christina Ponig Maccio, Partner, DLA Piper LLP (US)
"My day feels more manageable even in the midst of chaos. I am able to approach difficult negotiations, time-sensitive client needs, and a demanding workload more calmly and with genuine optimism."
-Amber Meek, Partner, Kirkland & Ellis LLP
About Mindfulness for Lawyers
Mindfulness for Lawyers helps lawyers reduce stress and improve productivity through mindfulness, a simple mental practice derived from meditation. The program was developed by two Harvard-educated lawyers, one a mindfulness expert and the other a veteran big-firm associate.
Who we've worked with
We have taught group workshops at Harvard Law School, Brooklyn Law School, NYU, and DLA Piper. We have worked individually with partners and associates at DLA Piper, Kirkland & Ellis, and Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz.
WHO WE ARE
Jon Krop leads the Mindfulness for Lawyers workshops. He is a graduate of Harvard Law School and has been practicing mindfulness for almost a decade. He has studied with masters from around the world, including the Dalai Lama, the Tibetan master Tsoknyi Rinpoche, and western teachers Gerardo Abboud, Elisha Goldstein, Ph.D, Trudy Goodman, Ph.D, and John Yates, Ph.D.
Jon has sat numerous meditation retreats, including a seven-month silent retreat with meditation master and neuroscientist John Yates.
Jon is an associate at a public-interest law firm in New York City.
Chuck Walker is a graduate of Harvard Law School and a senior associate at an international law firm. Mindfulness has helped him keep his stress levels low and productivity high while navigating the challenges of big-firm practice.
What We Teach
For a sense of what we teach, please see our attorney handbook, which you can download for free below or read online here.
We hand out this booklet to attendees of our workshops. However, it also stands alone as a useful mindfulness guide.
"An eye-opening introduction to a new way of dealing with stress. I wish someone had taught me this in law school."
-Brett Solberg, Associate, DLA Piper LLP (US)
"Jon offered an engaging session with practical guidance and interactive exercises. He debunked myths about meditation and made it fun."
-James Stewart, Associate, DLA Piper LLP (US)
THE STRESSES OF LAW PRACTICE
Arguing for a living is not exactly relaxing. Every day, we immerse ourselves in conflict and competition. We work long hours and, thanks to our mobile phones, we're on call 24/7. Our clients expect outstanding results, with almost no margin for error.
These pressures take a serious toll. Lawyers are 3.6 times as likely to suffer from depression as non-lawyers and twice as likely to abuse drugs or alcohol. Stress, anxiety, and burnout are enormous problems in the profession. Many lawyers struggle to stay engaged with their jobs and satisfied with their lives.
HOW MINDFULNESS CAN HELP
Mindfulness offers an alternative to our habits of worry, anxiety, and frustration. Derived from ancient meditation methods and validated by modern science, it is a simple mental practice that introduces a calmer, more satisfying mode of being. Its benefits include:
- Reduced stress and anxiety
- Improved focus
- Greater emotional resilience
- Enhanced interpersonal skills
Law firms that offer mindfulness training can expect:
- Reduced associate turnover
- Greater efficiency and productivity
- Happier, healthier lawyers
Mindfulness produces remarkable changes in a short time, and the benefits continue to deepen with practice.
Many Fortune 500 companies already offer mindfulness training to their employees, including Google, Goldman Sachs, and General Mills.
Mindfulness is also on the rise in the legal profession, as these articles reveal:
- Wall Street Journal: Lawyers Go Zen, with Few Objections
- Washington Lawyer: Keep Calm and Practice Law: Mindfulness in the Legal Profession
- ABA Journal: Mindfulness in Legal Practice Is Going Mainstream
Learn more about the benefits of mindfulness and the scientific evidence here.
"The mindfulness methods are uncomplicated, everyday strategies that I have been able to employ in the most hectic of environments to help me focus and center my mind."
-Jibin Luke, Associate, DLA Piper LLP (US)
WHAT WE OFFER
One-Hour Workshop
In one hour, we give you the fundamental skills to bring calm, clarity, and focus into your life and practice. We teach a simple, effective sitting meditation practice and other mindfulness tools tailored to the challenges lawyers face. This is a workshop, not a lecture; it incorporates hands-on practice, guided meditations, and interactive exercises.
Half-Day Workshop
A longer session lets us offer more hands-on exercises, guided meditations, and specific tools for easing the daily challenges of law practice. For example, we introduce the practice of kindness meditation, which cultivates our natural capacity for warmth and goodwill, even toward our adversaries. This makes us happier, more pleasant to be around, and more skillful, clear-headed lawyers.
Private Instruction
Working one-on-one lets us customize our approach. As we get to know you, we'll explore which mindfulness techniques best fit your personality. We'll work with you on specific ways to integrate mindfulness into your daily routine.
More ABOUT MINDFULNESS
Mindfulness is the practice of resting the mind calmly in the present moment, rather than getting caught up in fears, worries, and stories. For thousands of years, people have practiced mindfulness and experienced the well-being and mental clarity it offers.
A growing body of scientific evidence corroborates that this simple training can yield powerful benefits, including reduced stress and anxiety; better work performance; improved memory, creativity, and focus; and even lower blood pressure. Mindfulness practices have been used successfully to treat anxiety, depression, and ADHD.
Our Advisors
Susan Kaiser Greenland, J.D. is a former corporate attorney and the creator of Inner Kids, a mindfulness program for children that was researched by the UCLA Mindul Awareness Research Center and published in the Journal of Applied School Psychology. Her book, "The Mindful Child," has been translated into nine languages. Her new book “Mindful Games” will be published in the Fall of 2016. Susan is a regular lecturer at universities, medical schools, and professional organizations.
David Loy, Ph.D is a professor, author, Zen teacher, and sought-after lecturer on the intersection of Buddhism and modern society. He has written on "McMindfulness," the dilution and commodification of mindfulness for corporate settings. Professor Loy helps us avoid the "McMindfulness" problem and maintain the full efficacy and integrity of the mindfulness teachings.
Yael Shy, J.D. is the founder and director of MindfulNYU, one of the largest campus-wide mindfulness initiatives in the country. She is also the senior director of the NYU Global Spiritual Life Center. She has been meditating for more than 15 years and has studied with renowned teachers in Buddhist, Jewish, and secular meditative traditions.
Lidia Zylowska, M.D. is a UCLA-trained psychiatrist and a co-founding member of the UCLA Mindfulness Awareness Research Center, where she developed the Mindful Awareness Practices (MAPs) for ADHD program. She is the author of the award-winning book The Mindfulness Prescription for Adult ADHD. She also serves as a teaching faculty at the UCSD Mindfulness-Based Professional Training Institute.
Contact us now!
Use the form below or email us at info@mindfulnessforlawyers.com.
We look forward to hearing from you!