I write this article after spending the year taking the online class “Awakening Joy,” James Baraz’s now-famous course on how to live a happier life. What in the world does this have in common with lawyering, you might wonder? For a lucky few lawyers like myself, the answer is: a lot.

Generally when people think of lawyers, they often think of contentious, money-oriented professionals who like to muscle their way through most every situation. Yet many lawyers like myself went to law school to perform direct service work for individuals and thought the legal system would be a powerful forum in which to do that work. I became disillusioned about pursuing that goal after three years as a public defender where I discovered a criminal justice system that seemed more interested in recrimination than reform.

Over the years, however, the law has graciously allowed me to reinvent myself. When I left criminal defense, a career that felt like a calling, I pursued plaintiff employment work with the idea that I’d prosecute sexual harassment cases and advance women’s rights. When I began to increasingly see litigation as a lose-lose proposition, I decided to switch to defense work.

Over the eighteen years that I’ve been practicing law, I’ve found that a law degree (and, admittedly, the Stanford Law School diploma) allowed me to pursue my passions and opened many doors. I’ve also found that law allowed me to integrate my 27 years of intensive meditation practice into my work life. With a little focus, and classes like Awakening Joy, I’m reminded of ways to weave together mindfulness and kindness with legal pursuits. It is, admittedly, not an easy thing to do in a profession that prides itself on being confrontational, but it is possible and it is fulfilling.

However, I recognize that many lawyers are in corporate environments where they have little self-determination. They may feel trapped financially and unable to find meaningful work. I envision that all lawyers can find work that makes them happy, and a professional life that squares with their values.

Two things are required to make a transition: willingness to compromise financially and mindfulness of the impact of current choices. Without the former, the choices for attorneys may be limited. Without the latter, attorneys lose the critical ability to see how their job is making them unhappy.

Exploring these topics in greater depth has long been an ambition of mine. I know that with the right interpersonal tools and perspective, law can be the source of more happiness and clarity in the world.

To this end, a group of similar-minded lawyers and I have organized a conference, Finding Joy in the Legal Profession: Creating a Sustainable, Meaningful Legal Practice in the Modern World, on Friday, September 23rd. Sign up for the event and take a big step to make your law practice more joyful.