Holistic Law
Transforming the Law One Day at a Time –
by Practicing From the Heart
Lawyers as peacemakers, problem solvers, and healers of conflict.
Iglesia Martell Law Firm practices from the heart and seeks to transform the practice of law through education and support of holistic practice.
Iglesia Martell Law Firm envisions a world where lawyers are valued as healers, helpers, counselors, problem-solvers, and peacemakers. Conflicts are seen as opportunities for growth. Lawyers model balanced lives and are respected for their contributions to the greater good. Iglesia Martell Law Firm seeks to transform the practice of law, through education and support of holistic practice.
What is Holistic Law?
“Holistic” is often viewed by the medical field as a way to describe an alternative form of healing, there is a movement occurring among judges and lawyers to bring that same concept to the legal community to support an approach to the legal practice that reflects our wholeness by finding healthier ways to resolve legal matters by transitioning and promoting peacekeeping and healing within the legal profession.
Holistic Law is practice that focuses on the whole person and the whole of the problem as a way of finding more healthy and sustainable solutions to legal problems. Holistic Lawyering looks at the lawyer’s role, the client’s role in the problem and solution, as well as the impact of the problem and solution on the community. Holistic law is about helping people beyond their immediate legal needs, by looking at the broader context of their lives to see how it is impacting on their legal issues.
Holistic Law practitioners look inward to become whole themselves to better assist their clients in using the legal process to find wholeness. Holistic lawyers take a spiritual component, exploring the unity of purpose between the seemingly opposing parties. Holistic Lawyers often take a preventive law approach or a collaborative law approach as part of their holistic legal problem-solving.
Holistic law practice starts not from the question of “What happened?” but rather from the question of “What is happening now?”
The difference in this orientation is largely the difference between thought and mindfulness. Mindfulness refers to a state of deeply connected awareness of the present moment. This awareness is grounded not in thought, but beyond thought. By cultivating an ability to access the present moment, we reconnect to our foundational sense of being. This state gives rise to an experiential realization that we are all part of something far beyond our individual life situations. It is upon tapping into this reality that we develop true understanding and compassion for others, even those whom we had previously “blamed” for our current legal difficulties. Mindfulness can also be a tool for solving the alienation and disconnection at the root of many societal problems particularly racial and social injustice.
The umbrella of holistic law is broad and multifaceted. It calls for lawyers to listen to client’s issues, to acknowledge the opportunity in conflict, to encourage compassion, reconciliation, healing, forgiveness, letting go, to find the services and the resources and professional collaborations with service providers or community members to help the client resolve their problems long range.
- Family Law/Divorce – Collaborative Practice viewing Divorce with an eye to the future. Resolving disputes respectfully, The marriage may end but the family goes on. Focus on solutions not blame.
- Mediation – Mindfulness, Thought, and Conflict Resolution
- Criminal – Transformative or Restorative Justice
Win/Win solutions are essential in a holistic law practice.
For more information on how Iglesia Martell can help you, please contact us at 734-369-2331 or at [email protected]