MP~ My Pl'actice. My Pleasure. Mp2 - My Practice. My Pkasure. is a new column of The Arkansas Lawyer Magazine dedicated to the perso1Ul/ and professional wellneu ofthose working in the legal profession.
SUCCESS BRIEFS FOR LAWYERS: INSPIRATIONAL INSIGHTS ON How TO SUCCEED AT LAw AND
LIFE
Edited by Amiram Elwork and Mark R. Siwik The Vorkell Group, Gwynedd, PA, 200 I, 204 pages, $26.95 Reviewed by William A. Martin
This book will be helpful to the lawyer introduce most chapters with an who is feeling dissatisfied with the appropriate and thought provoking practice of law, but even more helpful if quotation from a lawyer. judge. or other read and heeded by lawyers before they Famous person. My first encounter with Dr. Amiram get to that point.
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uccess, as implicidy defined within the seventeen shorr inspirarionaJ essays, stories, and poems in this excellent little book, means something far different from mere financial achievement. Two words which kept impressing themselves on my mind as I read it are "balance" and "caring." The authors of me chapters, by describing their lives, or lives they look ro for guidance. or what is important (0 them, give us persuasive examples of che life in the law we would like to achieve- success in a form which gives more satisfaction man money alone ever can. Thanks ro excellent editing that produces clear and consistent parts in plain language from the seventeen different authors (all but Dr. Elwork are lawyers), this book can be a fast read. It is possible to read one or tWO chapters, put it down and corne back later without a significant loSt of thought. However, as I gOt more into the book I found I wanred <0 push ahead and quickly comple[e reading all of it. A[ a deeper level wonderful metaphors and memorable phrases provide us with positive pictures of the legal profession. The examples from lawyers who. sometimes late, find what is truly important to them in terms of balanced lives and caring relationships with clients, peers, family, and members of their community give us poinrs ro ponder and the inspiration and courage ro redefine success for ourselves. [n at least one, and probably several, of me word pictures we will see ourselves and our possibilities. In a valuable addition the editors
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Elwork and Mark Siwik was at the American Bar Association meeting in August 1996. There mey presenred an outstanding program on stress management which included practical tips and illustrations of fictional lawyers such as Atticus Fitch in To Kill a Mockingbird who won the love and respect of their community. Out of this meeting came a program wim Dr. Elwork, a psychologist, on his book, Stress Management for L:owyers, ar [he 1997 Arkansas Bar Association Annual Meeting. The presentation attracted such a large and appreciative audience to the Arlington Ho[e1's Crystal Ballroom mat all chairs were taken and lawyers were sitting on the ow Dr. Elwork and Mr. Siwik have floor. refined parts of their program into Success Briefs for Lawyers and a series of seminars designed to help lawyers recognize. in the words of their introduction, "... what is right and good in the legal profession and what they can do to be more effective and satisfied with their lives." In this book they are successful in achieving this purpose. Over time in my columns for The Arkansas Lawyer I often referred to success and tried to hold out the idea of what lawyers should be as people. I was gratified to find many of the authors of the chapters in Success Briefs for Lawyers quoted from the works of writers and other famous people whom I had been impressed wim, quoted from, and referred to. I n a talk I gave to neW Air Force lawyers on success I described it as a journey and that they should recogniu: and take joy in small successes along the way. One of the
moughts from me book is [hat people who achieve their fuB potential "tend to focus on enjoying the journey as well as the destination." A sampling of other valuable, instructive moughts I found within the chapters is: .. Maybe saying no is the secret - I muse -- no to the temptation of the extra dollar. that new committee. if the no means yes to me family." ") seek the perfect balance, that certain balance that brings peace, contentment, and fulfillment." "There is a great deal of goodness in people if we just take time to bring it Out in them through our own acts of decency." "The guy I married dreamed of making a contribution to society someday. It wasn't all about money." "I came <0 realize mat me best lawyers I have known all had mree qualities ... They were all highly competent, had unshakable integrity, and truJy cared - about their families, their colleagues, their clients, and their community." "Among the things than can significantly help you get through mOSt situations is a healthy sense of humor." "He loved [he law and delighted in serving others." "Does my appointment calendar reveal what I treasure and think is most essential in my life? If my life ended <oday, would I view i[ as being fulfilled by what I accomplished as a lawyer, a husband, a father, a &iend. a human being?" "My greatest asset to my clienrs was my ability to help mem solve meir problems creatively. How could) be creative if I had no time set aside for recharging my own batteries -- taking time for selP" "I realized the true function of a lawyer See Book Review Continued on Page 56