5 Happy Facts to Love About Integrative Law
What is integrative law, who are integrative lawyers, what values do they share & where to find one you’ll love to work with
2 December 2021
A new legal approach. The amazing people driving it. And how to find a lawyer you’ll actually love working with. If you haven’t explored the Integrative Law movement yet, welcome to a whole new world!
We’re looking at what Integrative Law is, why we need it, who’s behind it and how you can be a part of it all.
1. What exactly is Integrative Law?
A new legal system. A fundamental shift. And countless thousands joining the movement. If you’ve ever been mystified, disheartened, shocked or shamed by our legal system, then this one’s for you. Discover the worldwide movement of legal professionals (Integrative Lawyers) who are rethinking and exploring what the law is and what its function should be in society.
See how they’re working to make the law a better experience for you in our post: What is Integrative Law?
2. Why do we need a new legal system?
Just ask anyone who’s been through a legal process recently if they’d like to do it all over again… See, there’s sufficient scientific evidence by now that many of our legal processes are either not working (most feel people feel worse at the end of a legal process) or destroying more lives than it protects (66% of crime is committed by repeat offenders) – legal professionals are some of the most stressed in the world, which doesn’t even begin to touch how their clients are feeling.
And there are many reasons for that – we’ll gradually build up a list to put here!
So far, we’ve got a few compelling bits of proof from lawyers themselves:
The Win-Lose model is destructive
Most of our legal systems are what they call adversarial. You know, you have two parties. The prosecution and defence. And the law sets them up against each other. And there are not only many other ways of doing this, but certainly much healtier ways. To understand why it’s so destructive, see our post on the adversarial nature of the law.
(Plus, if you’re wondering why that’s special, just take a look at what happens when traditional lawyers resist change a little too fiercely.)
Also, join us as we ask: is there a lack of empathy in law?
Contracts can kill relationships
The purpose of a contract is supposed to be to help manage relationships between people. And we have enough psychology and neuroscience insight these days to know that managing relationships starts with collaboration. But most contracts we know today clearly creates an us-and-them barrier right at the start (separation). And then proceeds to list a series of demands, usually very one-sided (unfair). And, if you think about it, even a child should be able to explain to you why that won’t work.
That’s why, in Integrative Law, there’s an alternative called Conscious Contracts®.
Ok, so Integrative Law has some new ideas… Great! But who are these people with the new ideas?
3. Who are integrative lawyers?
Peacemaking. Love. Compassion. And satisfaction. If these aren’t the type of thoughts that come to mind when you think about your lawyer, there’s a whole new world for you to explore! Can you imagine: lawyers as peacemakers, collaborators, looking to inject some joy and love into society? Come and explore with us: Who are Integrative Lawyers?
4. What makes these lawyers so different?
Beyond what we do, it’s the reason we do it that matters – and there are some surprising and delightful reasons Integrative Lawyers do what they do. They want to show more compassion and give people dignity. Create happiness and wellbeing, instead of hardship and stress. They want to be more creative. And, most of all, they want to make the world a better place.
And you can watch 9 actual interviews with real Integrative Lawyers, explaining what drives them most among the 9 shared values of integrative lawyers.
Connect with an Integrative Lawyer near you
Integrative Lawyers are very diverse and you’ll find them all around the world – see the global website.
And, if you’re based in South Africa or the United Kingdom, you’ll find a proud Integrative Legal consultancy in Milkwood.
From Conscious Contracts® to Antenuptial and Cohabitation Agreements, to Conscious Parting, Wills and Legacies. Milkwood even offers Training and Workshops on how to build your own Integrative Law practice. See our Integrative Legal Services.
At Milkwood, we are peacemakers and problem-solvers who want to help make the law a positive experience for our clients. We’re all about compassion, caring, continuous learning, humour, integrity, listening, trust and wellbeing.
And we’d love to share in your journey.
