Christian Lawyers - We Get to Do Fun Stuff Sometimes

Some days law practice is challenging. Trying to honor Christ while bearing the burdens of other people's problems, helping folks pick up the pieces of life's tragedies and losses, staring down the ugly consequences of sin. But on some days, being a Christian lawyer is fun!

Today, I got the joy and privilege of closing on a radio station purchase for my client, a faithful Christian ministry. For many years, One Heart Ministries leased the broadcast rights for WKBO "The Fortress" 1230AM in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. But for this ministry, owning the station outright was a long-deferred dream. That dream finally became a reality today.

Station president and on-air personality, Pete Hamel (seated), was delighted to pose for a picture with me as he inked the final documents in our law firm conference room. And yes, he gave me an official green light to share the good news of the completed deal on social media!

What fun stuff have you been blessed to participate in as a Christian lawyer?

Happy Constitution Day: Live It!

Estate Planning: Driven by Fear and Greed?

Cast but a glance at riches, and they are gone, for they will surely sprout wings and fly off to the sky like an eagle. - Proverbs 23:5

The Believer's Guide to Legal Issues on estate planning:

Where Christians need to be careful when it comes to estate planning is in the perspective, or heart attitude, with which we carry out the planning process. Far too many Christians end up falling for the same psychological ploys as the rest of society, creating estate plans based on an unholy combination of fear and greed rather than on principles of wise and constructive planning. And far too many Christians are drawn deeper and deeper into this spirit of fear and greed by an estate-planning industry built largely on selling the illusions of "protection" and "security" to the very people it has just worked quite diligently to frighten.

(excerpt from Chapter 5, "The Estate-Planning Illusion")

Is the Legal Profession Hurting Marriages? A Lawyer's Perspective

I recently had the pleasure of sitting down with Sarah Jennings, Family Editor at Crosswalk.com, to answer her questions about some tough issues at the intersection of law, faith and life. From Crosswalk:

Your marriage is in trouble. Should you call a lawyer? Or, you're getting married. Should you draft a prenuptial agreement? Lawyer Stephen Bloom examines these issues and more in his book The Believer's Guide to Legal Issues. Read the Crosswalk interview...

Crosswalk.com, the world's largest Christian website, offers the freshest and most compelling biblically-based content to Christians who take seriously their relationship with Christ.

Justice, or Vengeance?

Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written, ‘It is mine to avenge, I will repay,’ says the Lord. - Romans 12:19

There's a fine line between seeking justice and seeking revenge. While the decision ultimately rests with our clients, as Christian lawyers we are uniquely positioned to serve as ambassadors for forgiveness rather than enablers of vengeance.

Are you guilty of encouraging your clients to seek revenge through the legal system?

The Real Attorney-Client Privilege: Window on the Heart of a WWII Vet

I met with an elderly widower at his home today. We addressed his legal issues, then lingered and talked a while. He mentioned how he'd always lived in his hometown, except for three years in the service during World War II. He's 86 years old, physically strong and mentally sharp. I decided to take a chance and ask him about his wartime service, aware that many from his vanishing generation prefer not to discuss such experiences. But he was ready.

He worked in ground support for American and R.A.F. airmen flying bombing missions from a base in England. The airfield was under constant threat from German attacks and other similar bases were hit, costing many lives. Once, he sneaked aboard one of our planes for a mission over Germany, thanks to a friendship forged with the bomber's Captain. But soon, he explained, choking with tears at the words, he learned not to make friends with the bomber crews. Because so many never made it back. It was less painful if they weren't your friends. "We stopped getting to know them," he said, "It was a decision we made. We lost too many friends."

When he finally returned home, it was more of the same. Too many friends from his town were gone too, killed in the war. He struggled with guilt. Why did he survive? Why not them instead? And he struggles with the weight of that guilt even now, an old man alone so many years later. Still tearful, hankerchief in hand, he pointed to his Bible on the coffee table, "The only one that helps me through is the Lord."

That's the real attorney-client privilege. To be invited in, to be granted a privileged connection to the life's journeys of our clients.

Religion in the Workplace: Ideas, Resources, Stories?

I'm serving on the faculty of an upcoming Religion in the Workplace CLE program through the Pennsylvania Bar Institute. It's intended to be a discussion oriented forum, so if anyone has any good ideas, helpful resources, or relevant stories you think might be enlightening or interesting for me to share with our attendees, please feel free to pass them along! You can post them as a comment or send me an email. Thanks!

Christian Law, Not "Church Law"

I was doing a book signing for The Believer's Guide to Legal Issues at a conference for pastors and church leaders last week, and a potential reader bounded up to my table and started energetically grilling me about church law. You know, the murky intricacies of denominational hierarchy and judicial councils and trust clauses and what not. He assumed I was all about the law governing the internal conduct of church business affairs.

Before the guy got too far along, I had to tactfully jump in and cut him off. "I'm a Christian lawyer, not necessarily an expert in church law," I explained, "I try to help my clients approach everyday legal situations from a God-honoring biblical perspective, and my book is written for them - regular folks navigating the regular legal system." He was a bit disappointed, I guess. He seemed so anyway, as his conversational zeal quickly evaporated and he wandered off without buying my book.

I tell this story to illustrate a common misperception I encounter among both lawyers and non-lawyers alike. There are an amazing number of people who pigeonhole Christian lawyering, assuming, like my briefly made acquaintance, that a Christian lawyer must be one who handles matters of church law.

While I have nothing but respect for actual church law practitioners, theirs is but one narrow band of the full spectrum of Christian law. The Bible informs and enlightens in virtually every commonly encountered area of law and, in my vision for Christian lawyering at least, the Christian lawyer helps clients reconcile the legal situations they encounter with the relevant biblical wisdom. Christian law transcends church law and every other legal specialty.

Legislating from the Bench: Supreme Court Nominee Sotomayor Caught on Tape

Cross and Gavel: New Web Resource for Christian Lawyers and Law Students

Mike Shutt and his crew at the Institute for Christian Legal Studies have created Cross and Gavel, an excellent new web resource for Christian lawyers and law students.

From the site: Cross & Gavel is a comprehensive resource for Christian lawyers and law students who believe that faith is central to law practice and study. We understand that it is not always an easy task to faithfully walk out one’s calling in the law, and we desire to provide information, highlight resources, locate training, and network people seeking to be faithful ministers of justice in the kingdom.

The Prenuptial Blues

As a Christian lawyer, what's your take on prenups? Can a couple truly experience the physical, emotional, and spiritual unity of being joined as "one flesh" in the holy covenant of marriage when their legal interests are being kept separate by a binding prenuptial agreement? Is it healthy for bride and groom to be pitted against one another in adversarial legal negotiations during the months, weeks, and days leading up to their wedding ceremony?

You can get a sense of my answer from this short dramatic video spot for my chapter on prenups from The Believer's Guide to Legal Issues...

Justice Souter Steps Down: First Supreme Court Pick Looms for President Obama

While popular speculation held that President Obama's first Supreme Court vacancies would arise in the seats of two of the most liberal Associate Justices (the nearly post-octogenarian John Paul Stevens and the frail Ruth Bader Ginsburg), it turns out that Associate Justice David Souter (pictured left), a slightly younger liberal member of the Court, is the one providing President Obama with his first nomination opportunity. 

With Senator Arlen Specter's recent defection to the Democratic Party (Did the wiley Specter possess a bit of insider info about this impending vacancy? He will certainly bask in the limelight of leading from the majority side in yet another high profile Supreme Court confirmation process.)  setting up a nearly filibuster-proof Democratic super-majority, Obama's pick will face little meaningful opposition from the remaining Republicans on the Senate Judiciary Committee or in the full Senate. 

In replacing Souter, Obama's likely selection of a left-leaning nominee will be merely a liberal-for-liberal swap, maintaining the existing ideological weighting on the Court. Along with Stevens and Ginsburg, the other liberal Associate Justice, Stephen Breyer, will remain.  The conservative Associate Justices Antonin Scalia, Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito, the conservative Chief Justice John Roberts, and the swing vote, Associate Justice Anthony Kennedy, will likewise remain, leaving the balance of power on the Court intact, for now.

Who will be Obama's first Supreme nominee? His vanquished foe Hillary Clinton? His elusive mentor William Ayers?  A lesser known patron? A rising protege, someone young enough to shape the court in the President's image for a generation? 

Christian Law Journal: What is it? Who is it?

Anyone know the story behind the Christian Law Journal?

It's an online publication that just recently started turning up in my Google Alerts on Christian law, and it looks rather interesting. It has a professional and comprehensive feel, with lots of current and breaking info, but I can't be 100% sure its not some kind of sophisticated robot aggregator. Here's the description from the about page on the site:

"Founded in March of 2009, the Christian Law Journal exists to provide  christian lawyers and other professionals in the legal community with with up-to-date reports, news and trends in a fast-paced legal environment. Through the Christian Law Journal, legal professionals can find the latest news, technology insights, marketing tips and advice, law school news, verdicts and settlements affecting the christian community, areas for law students, book reviews and much more. In addition, the Christian Law Journal provides customized advertising solutions for marketers targeting the christian legal community."

Talking Clients Off the Litigation Ledge

Peacemaking Principles: Responding to Conflict Biblically is an amazing (and freely downloadable!) resource I use in my law practice to help clients make God-honoring choices when considering litigation. Produced by Peacemaker Ministries, this little one sheet pamphlet is packed with practical tools and easy to follow biblical guidance on handling conflict.

The brochure exposes typical destructive responses to conflict - escape (denial, flight and suicide) and attack (assault, litigation and murder) - and contrasts them with constructive biblical responses (overlooking offense, reconciliation, negotiation, mediation, arbitration and accountability). A trove of relevant scriptural authority in client-friendly format includes The Four Promises of Forgiveness, The PAUSE Principle of Negotiating and The Seven A's of Confession.

Think it's too tough to be a Christian peacemaker in your law practice? Simply hand your potential litigation client a copy of Peacemaking Principles: Responding to Conflict Biblically, suggest they read it and pray before deciding how to proceed, and then watch what happens. (A bit of prayer on your part doesn't hurt either!) You may soon find yourself happily out of work. It's happened to me more than once!