Law Commons^™

Legal Education And The Threat Response, Jane Mitchell

The Journal of Law Teaching and Learning

Law students struggle with disproportionately high rates of depression, anxiety, addiction, and disconnection. This paper offers a novel explanation for these negative outcomes that thus far has been absent from conversations on the subject: Law schools fuel students’ sense of threat. According to psychology’s well-established cognitive appraisal model, students “appraise” stressful situations as either challenging or threatening. Educational environments appraised as threatening consistently lead to negative outcomes—lower student performance, decreased student engagement, and increased anxiety. Situations appraised as challenging lead to positive outcomes—improved academic performance, increased participation, and better overall health.

Law schools facilitate students’ threat response rather than a …

Law Library Blog (April 2024): Legal Beagle's Blog Archive, Roger Williams University School Of Law

Law Library Newsletters/Blog

No abstract provided.

Law Library Blog (December 2023): Legal Beagle's Blog Archive, Roger Williams University School Of Law

Law Library Newsletters/Blog

No abstract provided.

Law Library Blog (August 2023): Legal Beagle's Blog Archive, Roger Williams University School Of Law

Law Library Newsletters/Blog

No abstract provided.

Mindfulness For Lawyers Cannot Begin Too Early, Heather Simmons

Articles, Chapters and Online Publications

Mindfulness can help law students handle the stress of Socratic method and cold calling. But the standard mindfulness panic practice, which is to stop and take three deep breaths, doesn’t work because the professor is waiting for an answer. In my ABA Student Lawyer article, I describe the following alternative: Step 1. Plant your feet firmly on the floor; Step 2. Sit up straight; Step 3. Take one deep breath; Step 4. Now restate the question. These steps could easily be modified to work in court when the judge asks a challenging question.

Using A Mindfulness And Gratitude Practice To Improve Student Wellness, Amanda K. Maus Stephen

Presentations

The University of Oregon School of Law hosted the annual, two-day conference for legal writing professors to share ideas and research on topics related to legal writing and legal writing instruction. This presentation described two experimental semester-long mindfulness activities—mindfulness minutes and gratitude journaling—and student reactions to them.

Law’S Contributions To The Mindfulness Revolution, Elizabeth F. Emens

Utah Law Review

These are phenomenally challenging times. Mindfulness is a tool that can help lawyers support themselves, each other, their clients, and their collaborators in the hard work needed to build community and take action. For these and other reasons, mindfulness has made major inroads into law and legal institutions. Law firms, law schools, and courthouses offer training in mindfulness meditation to support the cognitive clarity and emotional self-regulation necessary for the demanding work of analyzing problems, resolving conflicts, overcoming bias, and doing justice. A growing literature, from empirical social science to legal scholarship, catalogs these and other benefits of mindfulness for …

Law Library Blog (November 2021): Legal Beagle's Blog Archive, Roger Williams University School Oflaw

Law Library Newsletters/Blog

No abstract provided.

Law Library Blog (October 2021): Legal Beagle's Blog Archive, Roger Williams University School Of Law

Law Library Newsletters/Blog

No abstract provided.

Law Library Blog (April 2021): Legal Beagle's Blog Archive, Roger Williams University School Of Law

Law Library Newsletters/Blog

No abstract provided.

Law Library Blog (December 2020): Legal Beagle's Blog Archive, Roger Williams University School Of Law

Law Library Newsletters/Blog

No abstract provided.

5 Minute Meditation Breath Awareness Video, Heather Simmons, Rachel S. Evans

COVID-19 Pandemic Archive

KORU Mindfulness practitioner and Law Librarian Heather Simmons created multiple mindfulness and wellness resources for law students throughout the pandemic. A law library strike team on mindfulness was formed to promote these resources, including expanding a research guide for sharing resources and delivering live and pre-recorded content to better serve our students in Fall 2020. This video was one of two created in collaboration between Rachel Evans and Heather Simmons. Heather authored the script and guided the look and feel of the videos while Rachel provided technical support including narration recording.

3 Minute Grounding Video, Heather Simmons, Rachel S. Evans

COVID-19 Pandemic Archive

KORU Mindfulness practitioner and Law Librarian Heather Simmons created multiple mindfulness and wellness resources for law students throughout the pandemic. A law library strike team on mindfulness was formed to promote these resources, including expanding a research guide for sharing resources and delivering live and pre-recorded content to better serve our students in Fall 2020. This video was one of two created in collaboration between Rachel Evans and Heather Simmons. Heather authored the script and guided the look and feel of the videos while Rachel provided technical support including narration recording.

Cultivating A Culture Of Mindfulness In The Law Library And Beyond, Heather Simmons

Presentations

In this presentation Heather J.E. Simmons, Associate Director for Instruction and Access Services, University of Georgia School of Law, Alexander Campbell King Law Library shared her experiences in creating a more mindful environment for students, including methods and resources she has used in her current and past positions.

Review Of The 360 Librarian: Integrating Mindfulness, Emotional Intelligence, And Critical Reflection In The Workplace, Geraldine R. Kalim

Articles, Chapters and Online Publications

Review of Owens, T.M. and Daul-Elhindi, C.A. (2020).The 360 librarian: A framework for integrating mindfulness, emotional intelligence, and critical reflection in the workplace. Chicago: Association of College and Research Libraries. 164pp.

Myths Of Mindfulness Infographic, Anne Burnett

COVID-19 Pandemic Archive

Law Librarians Anne Burnett first published this infographic online as part of the library's mindfulness strike team charge. This visual busts the myths of mindfulness, and served as one of many key resources created for and shared with the law students near the beginning of the pandemic. It was originally accessed from within the 6 ft. together portal's mindfulness tab, and can still be accessed today from the continuing mindfulness resource guide that the library elected to maintain along with several other guides aimed at supporting and improving law student wellness.

Law Library Blog (December 2019): Legal Beagle's Blog Archive, Roger Williams University School Of Law

Law Library Newsletters/Blog

No abstract provided.

Law Library Blog (August 2019): Legal Beagle's Blog Archive, Roger Williams University School Of Law

Law Library Newsletters/Blog

No abstract provided.

Using Mindfulness Meditation To Foster Reflection In Externships, Alison F. Lintal

Alison Lintal

In an externship setting, where students are asked to combine theory and practice, intentional reflection is key to processing what has been learned from experience. Students are asked to maintain an open curiosity about practice and to connect with their inner experiential world as part of this process. There is a natural connection between reflection and contemplative practice. Teaching reflection to law students can be enhanced by introducing mindfulness practices which share similar attributes such as open awareness, observation, and acceptance of both positive and negative outcomes. This article describes the ways in which mindfulness techniques can be introduced into …

Law Library Blog (April 2019): Legal Beagle's Blog Archive, Roger Williams University School Of Law

Law Library Newsletters/Blog

No abstract provided.

Attorney As Accompagnateur: Resilient Lawyering When Victory Is Uncertain Or Nearly Impossible, Margaret Reuter

Faculty Works

Social justice lawyers come to the profession intending to make a difference through the instruments of law. And gloriously, they often make a difference in people’s lives for the better. They make our world a more just, compassionate, and tolerant place. But there is no denying that, in poverty law practice, legal success can be elusive, ephemeral, or perhaps a mirage. How does that lawyer feel when the legal remedies at her disposal, even if “successful,” fail to mitigate the injustices suffered by her clients? Are there definitions of professional satisfaction and success that are enduring, even if legal success …

Can Mindfulness Help Law Students With Stress, Focus, And Well-Being: An Empirical Study Of 1ls At A Midwestern Law School, Richard C. Reuben, Kennon M. Sheldon

Faculty Publications

Recent calls for law students, lawyers, judges, and others in the legal profession to try mindfulness training to reduce stress and enhance wellbeing beg the question of whether mindfulness will "work" for those in the uniquely rigorous environment of law. There is no empirical research on mindfulness effects for lawyers - unlike the medical field, where research has found beneficial effects of mindfulness training for doctors, nurses, and other health care providers. To fill this gap in the literature, we conducted an empirical study of forty-seven first year, first semester law students at the University of Missouri School of Law …

Using Mindfulness Meditation To Foster Reflection In Externships, Alison F. Lintal

Faculty Scholarly Works

In an externship setting, where students are asked to combine theory and practice, intentional reflection is key to processing what has been learned from experience. Students are asked to maintain an open curiosity about practice and to connect with their inner experiential world as part of this process. There is a natural connection between reflection and contemplative practice. Teaching reflection to law students can be enhanced by introducing mindfulness practices which share similar attributes such as open awareness, observation, and acceptance of both positive and negative outcomes. This article describes the ways in which mindfulness techniques can be introduced into …

Mindfulness In Legal Ethics And Professionalism, Peter H. Huang

Publications

Mindfulness involves paying attention with curiosity in an intentional, open, and compassionate way to life as it unfolds moment to moment. Law students, lawyers, law professors, legal clients, and indeed all people can improve their lives through mindfulness. Mindfulness can lead to individual benefits and personal transformation. Mindfulness can also lead to societal benefits and social change. This invited symposium contribution exemplifies how mindfulness can facilitate the positive personal and professional development of law students by presenting excerpts of law students’ answers discussing mindfulness to questions from the final examination of the course: Legal Ethics and Professionalism. Notably, none of …

Mindfulness In Legal Ethics And Professionalism, Peter H. Huang

Publications

Mindfulness involves paying attention with curiosity in an intentional, open, and compassionate way to life as it unfolds moment to moment. Law students, lawyers, law professors, legal clients, and indeed all people can improve their lives through mindfulness. Mindfulness can lead to individual benefits and personal transformation. Mindfulness can also lead to societal benefits and social change. This invited symposium contribution exemplifies how mindfulness can facilitate the positive personal and professional development of law students by presenting excerpts of law students' answers discussing mindfulness to questions from the final examination of the course: Legal Ethics and Professionalism. Notably, none of …

Law Library Blog (December 2018) : Legal Beagle's Blog Archive, Roger Williams University School Of Law

Law Library Newsletters/Blog

No abstract provided.

Law Library Blog (August 2018): Legal Beagle's Blog Archive, Roger Williams University School Of Law

Law Library Newsletters/Blog

No abstract provided.

Law Library Blog (April 2018): Legal Beagle's Blog Archive, Roger Williams University School Of Law

Law Library Newsletters/Blog

No abstract provided.

Adventures In Higher Education, Happiness, And Mindfulness, Peter H. Huang

Publications

This Article recounts my unique adventures in higher education, including being a Princeton University freshman mathematics major at age 14, Harvard University applied mathematics graduate student at age 17, economics and finance faculty at multiple schools, first-year law student at the University of Chicago, second- and third-year law student at Stanford University, and law faculty at multiple schools. This Article also candidly discusses my experiences as student and professor and openly shares how I achieved sustainable happiness by practicing mindfulness to reduce fears, rumination, and worry in facing adversity, disappointment, and setbacks. This Article analyzes why law schools should teach …

Law Library Blog (November 2017): Legal Beagle's Blog Archive, Roger Williams University School Of Law

Law Library Newsletters/Blog

No abstract provided.