Lawyers are trained to fix things. Something goes wrong, and we look for the rule that was broken, the argument that will persuade a neutral party, and the solution that will resolve the situation. But after nearly forty years practicing law, I’ve come to realize that the cracks in the legal profession—those places where clients and communities don’t feel heard, seen, or satisfied—are often far bigger than we imagine. These cracks aren’t likely to be patched with more rules, policies, or programs alone.
For decades, the legal profession has tried updating systems, reforming ethics codes, and introducing lawyer wellness initiatives. These are important efforts, no doubt. Yet many lawyers remain exhausted, disconnected, and disillusioned. Meanwhile, people continue avoiding the legal system to address their disputes—some because they don’t trust it, some because they can’t afford it, and many who do enter the system leave more confused and frustrated than when they arrived. The issue isn’t only what we do—it’s how we show up. It’s about the human connection, or lack thereof, that clients experience when navigating a system that often feels anything but just.
What the profession truly needs is not more rules—it needs restoration. Restoration supports lawyers in facing pain without turning away, holding grief and conflict without being consumed, and bringing their full humanity to the work. Restoration equips us to meet clients where they are, recognize their humanity, and work toward repairing the harm caused by legal disputes.
Restorative lawyering starts with remembering that law is fundamentally a human practice. Every brief, negotiation, and judgment involves people—people more complex than the single incident that brought them to our offices. Complicated, fragile, hopeful people. Lawyers must honor both their own humanity and that of the clients who trust us to guide them through some of the most challenging moments of their lives.
Restorative lawyering encourages a shift in perspective: from winning to understanding, from control to connection. It asks us to bring our whole selves—intellect, heart, and spirit—into our work. When we do, clients stop being “cases” and start being partners on a journey to examine disputes, explore options, and find resolutions that help them heal and integrate the experience into their lives.
Where do we start? By practicing law mindfully, with reflection, deep listening, and respect. Restoration allows us to repair not just the justice system, but ourselves. It shows us that accountability can coexist with compassion, and that strength can walk hand in hand with kindness.
Law is dynamic. Laws change, societies evolve, and reform is always necessary. But reform alone—new rules, updated policies, or procedural changes—will never be enough. Without restoration, the hearts of those working in the system remain weary, and true justice, deep enough to create meaningful restoration for clients and communities, cannot flourish.
Restoring the legal profession means breathing life back into it. It means remembering why we became lawyers in the first place: to help, to heal, and to make sense of the human experience.
Let’s not settle for merely reforming what we do. Let’s embrace restorative lawyering, strengthen lawyer wellness, and create a legal practice that honors humanity while expanding the potential for justice, healing, and meaningful connection for our clients, our communities, and ourselves.