CBA Record

CBA RECORD

EDITOR’S BRIEFCASE

EDITORIAL BOARD Editor-in-Chief Justice Michael B. Hyman Illinois Appellate Court Managing Editor Amy Cook Amy Cook Consulting Associate Editor Anne Ellis Proactive Worldwide, Inc. Summary Judgments Editor Daniel A. Cotter Butler Rubin Saltarelli & Boyd LLC YLS Journal Editors-in-Chief Oliver A. Khan American Association of Insurance Services Nicholas D. Standiford Schain Banks Kenny & Schwartz Ltd. Carolyn Amadon Geoff Burkhart American Bar Association Natalie Chan Sidley Austin LLP Nina Fain Clifford Gately Heyl Royster Angela Harkless The Harkless Law Firm Justin Heather Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity Jasmine Villaflor Hernandez Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office Michele M. Jochner Schiller DuCanto & Fleck LLP John Levin Bonnie McGrath Law Office of Bonnie McGrath Clare McMahon Law Office of Clare McMahon Pamela S. Menaker Clifford Law Offices Peter V. Mierzwa Law Bulletin Publishing Company Kathleen Dillon Narko Northwestern University School of Law Adam J. Sheppard Sheppard Law Firm, PC Richard Lee Stavins

BY JUSTICE MICHAEL B. HYMAN, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

A Higher Purpose

M any of us entered the legal profession with a strong awareness of a higher pur- pose. For some, that purpose has varied depending on personal experiences, encounters, expectations, and emotions. Others have slowly become uncon- scious of the higher purpose to which they once aspired. For a few, though, the purpose has stayed constant, vital, and a life-long quest. I believe following a higher purpose gives our work a focus, a hook, an essence, that tran- scends self and personal gain and makes the law seem less like a job and more like a calling. Without a higher purpose we just drift, rudderless and susceptible to any wind. Without a higher purpose, we more easily become discouraged or disheartened because we have little drawing us to something that is so worthwhile it makes us proud of what we do. Without a higher purpose, we tend to ignore or forget what we value, and what we stand for. The actor and activist Ossie Davis beautifully described the power of a higher purpose when he wrote: “We can’t float through life. We can’t be incidental or accidental. We must fix our horizon, and once we have attached ourselves to that star we must keep our eyes on it and our hands on the plow. It is the consistency of the pursuit of the highest possible vision that you can find in front of you that gives you the constancy, that gives you the encouragement, that gives you the way to understand where you are and why it’s important for you to do what you can do.” Pursuing a higher purpose makes engaging in law more satisfying and more reward- ing, as long as that purpose meets two characteristics: it must be unselfish, and it must be meaningful. “Unselfish” refers to caring more for the interests and needs of our clients than finan- cial remuneration. To be “meaningful,” the purpose must have the potential to positively impact the world and make it a more just, hospitable place. When work is meaningful, it usually leads to greater enjoyment, which in turn brings about a greater sense of fulfill- ment in our lives. A higher purpose can be as challenging as easing the heartache that accompanies life’s tragedies, or as practical as committing to advocate with decency and civility. A higher purpose can be as basic as bringing to account in a responsible manner individuals who violate society’s rules, or as crucial as protecting and vindicating the rights and interests of those same individuals. Or, a purpose can be as necessary as advancing the causes of people whose voices are not heard and whose interests are not represented. Practicing law is demanding. We spend more of our time at it than any other single activity. A lot of stress and anxiety and fatigue go into lawyering. A higher purpose will not magically relieve these feelings. But studies show that employees who are oriented to a higher purpose perform better and are happier in their jobs. Apparently, a higher purpose helps keep things in perspective, and provides the strength to press on. A higher purpose also gives our work utility beyond the immediate, and infuses our lives with significance beyond the mere product of our labors. In this way, we are less likely to lose track of why we practice law. What is your higher purpose? Rehearing: “The goal is the main thing. There can be no wisdom in the choice of a path unless we know where it will lead.”–Justice Benjamin N. Cardozo

Robbins, Saloman & Patt, Ltd. Rosemary Simota Thompson William A. Zolla II The ZOLLaw Group, Ltd. THE CHICAGO BAR ASSOCIATION David Beam Director of Publications Joe Tarin Advertising Account Representative

6 JANUARY 2017