Mindfulness Quote of the Day
You alone are the judge of your worth and your goal is to discover infinite worth in yourself, no matter what anyone else thinks.
--Deepak Chopra

Mindfulness Quote of the Day
The present moment is filled with joy and happiness. If you are attentive, you will see it.
--Thich Nhat Hanh

Mindfulness Quote of the Day
Do every act of your life as though it were the very last act of your life.
--Marcus Aurelius

Mindfulness Quote of the Day
Seek and see all the marvels around you. You will get tired of looking at yourself alone, and that fatigue will make you deaf and blind to everything else.
--Carlos Castaneda

Mindfulness Quote of the Day
It’s a transformative experience to simply pause instead of immediately filling up the space. By waiting, we begin to connect with fundamental restlessness as well as fundamental spaciousness.
--Pema Chödrön

Mindfulness Quote of the Day
Don't let yesterday use up too much of today.
--Cherokee Native American Proverb

Mindfulness Quote of the Day
When one door closes another door opens; but we so often look so long and so regretfully upon the closed door, that we do not see the ones which open for us.
--Alexander Graham Bell

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Professors Stephanie Phillips and Rhonda Magee Discussing Mindfulness in Legal Education
The 2010 Mindful Lawyer Conference
(Plenary: Part I)

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Professors Scott Rogers, Richard Rueben and David Zlotnick Discussing Mindfulness in Legal Education
The 2010 Mindful Lawyer Conference
(Plenary: Part II)

Mindfulness and the Study of Law

The law school environment is rich in history. When one reads accounts of the early days of America’s law schools, among the most exciting figures are the law professors who went on to make important and profound changes in American legal education and jurisprudence.

Many of these historical figures were known for not just their brilliance, but also for they capacity to listen, to deeply understand where their students were in the learning process, and to offer just the right measure of wisdom. This collection of skills -- one that makes not just for a great teacher, but a much loved and honored human being -- owes itself to many factors. Among them are clarity of mind, empathy, compassion, commitment, and experience.

Featured Article
Teaching Lawyers to Meditate

Professor Rhonda Magee teaches at the University of San Francisco School of Law and is Chairperson of the Center for Contemplative Mind in Society. In this important and fascinating article she surveys the landscape of contemplative practice in law -- in law schools, law firms, and the judiciary. Click here to read this article.

While it is difficult to pinpoint the factors contributing to a person’s capacity to embody some of these cherished traits -- the fortunate circumstance of grounded, present, and loving parents; a challenging life that leads one on the path to find inner balance and resolve; the fortuitous falling into an environment rich in contemplative practices -- whatever the source, The Institute for Mindfulness Studies believes that ultimately they are borne out of a mind that is aware! And, a mind that is aware offers something very special to others -- the opportunity to cultivate awareness.

This website is devoted to offering information and insights on the people who embrace the teaching of contemplative practices as a part of the law school educational experience. It is intended to honor their efforts and recognize the challenges of moving into new and, in some ways, unfamiliar territory.

It is also devoted to the law students who are interested in and are being introduced to contemplative practices as a means of developing their skills of concentration and focus, integrity, and inner-resources for dealing with the challenging and stressful conditions that abound in the practice of law, with roots in the legal education process.