Tear down this house. For under it lies a treasure far greater than you could ever imagine. Tear down this house, for a hundred thousand new houses can be built from the transparent yellow carnelian buried under it.

Rumi

You can certainly become a lawyer without becoming more familiar with yourself. People have been doing it for centuries. There is no doubt, however, that selfawareness is a trait we all value in others.

Today, many people expect their lawyers to be more interpersonally skilled than perhaps in the past. Rather than mere legal technicians, people expect lawyers to listen and act with humility, compassion, and an understanding of the human condition. New American Bar Association rules suggest that lawyers be trained in self-reflection, as well as interpersonal awareness and skill, yet most law schools still do not train lawyers in these essential skills. Lawyers with these skills will always be in high demand. This is because self-aware lawyers are better at resolving conflict, which is one of our main jobs in society.

William Ury of the Harvard Program on Negotiation and Harvard Negotiation Project calls the process of mindful self-awareness “getting to yes with yourself.” In his book by the same name, he explains the many benefits of mindful selfawareness:

This book, on the subject of attorney professional development through mindfulness and emotional intelligence, is designed to help you accomplish these goals and others. Through the practices outlined in these pages, we hope to help you reach the state described by Ury above. We also hope to help you experience less stress, become more focused, and eventually experience deep job satisfaction.