I just blogged about a fellowship given to two CUNY Law professors. The same Center for Contemplative Mind in Society has granted a fellowship to Professor David Zlotnick. The description of the course he will be teaching (from the fellowship announcements):
Trial lawyers notoriously suffer from burnout and substance abuse and often adopt cynical attitudes towards their clients and themselves. Law students hoping to become trial lawyers frequently succumb to public speaking anxiety and hold self defeating conceptions of what they hope to become. This course seeks to address these issues by making the learning and practice of trial advocacy more mindful and more humane for everyone involved. This integration takes place on four levels. First, meditation and relaxation techniques will be integrated into every class to help students reconnect to their bodies and hearts. Second, students will use mindfulness to connect with their clients and witnesses on a deeper emotional and spiritual level. Third, the course will integrate Buddhist teaching about illusions of control and about connectedness to cut through the chaotic and adversarial veneer of trial work. Fourth, western notions of duality in the trial process such as right and wrong, guilty and not guilty, will be contested and students will explore more nuanced ideas about truth and justice to encourage these future trial lawyers not to discard possible alternative notions of dispute resolution such as restorative justice and mediation.
I have been in touch with Professor Zlotnick about this unique and exciting course; he will be telling us more in the fall. I am looking forward to hearing much more, aren't you?
Note (added May 3, 2009): Article on Professor Zlotnick's class: "At Roger Williams University, a ‘mindful’ class for trial lawyers" (The Providence Journal).
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