by James Howard, Licensed Professional Counselor
Director: Missouri Lawyers' Assistance Program

What holds you back from being the best lawyer you can be? Whether you like it or not, you are powerful by virtue of the fact that you are a lawyer. Of course, along with your power comes responsibility, and how you exercise your power is very important. By the way, what are you experiencing right now as I discuss power?

Power, for the sake of control, can be abusive. Power for the sake of leading, helping and liberating others can be very empowering.

Marianne Williamson, author and lecturer on metaphysics and spirituality, frames power in a very special way. She writes:

"Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness, that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, 'Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous?'

Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small doesn't serve the world. There's nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are born to make manifest the Glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us. It's in everyone, and, as we let our light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others."

Relating mature power to the human psyche, Carl Jung, founder of "depth psychology," proposed that our human psyche is hardwired with predispositions that are carried or handed down from generation to generation in the collective unconscious. These predispositions, that he referred to as archetypes, are comparable to instincts in animals.

What follows is a brief explanation of these Archetypes, and how their understanding and use can help you become more powerful and effective in the legal profession.

These are four basic Archetypal Energies that men and women have:

• The Sovereign (King or Queen)
  
• The Warrior or Amazon
  
• The Magician or Hetaira
  
• The Lover or Medial
  

While referred to by gender specific names, the male and female are essentially the same. Each Archetype has a mature expression and a bi-polar immature shadow.

THE SOVEREIGN

The mature sovereign leader is responsible and maintains healthy self-esteem. He or she makes choices that are in the best interest of those the sovereign leads. In addition, the mature sovereign provides direction towards goals and empowers others. The mature sovereign will also experience joy, passion and vision.

The mature sovereign in you will help you make better decisions that are in the interest of your clients and that will empower them. The sovereign in you will also empower your colleagues and partners as well. Your mature sovereign should also help you to be a more powerful parent and partner in your personal life as well.

The bi-polar immature sovereign is just the opposite as you might expect.

Tyrant:

• The tyrant is dictatorial. You don't have to explain anything to your client, "I'm the lawyer, the expert."
  
• Doesn't "have" to return phone calls
  
• Will make decisions that are in your best interest, not your clients.
  

Abdicator:

• Fails to demonstrate leadership in representing your clients.
  
• Misses filing deadlines
  
• Fails to properly "prepare."
  

The question is not whether you have a bipolar shadow as a lawyer. Everyone has a shadow. The real question is do you "occupy" the mature sovereign or the bipolar shadow. Incidentally, one can shift from one bipolar shadow to the other.

• What sovereign space do you occupy?
  
• What space do your clients need you to occupy?
  

THE WARRIOR OR AMAZON:

In its mature form, the Archetypical Warrior allows you to be tenacious, to set and protect appropriate boundaries of those you serve, including clients, family and friends. It is like the Nike ad, "Just Do It" because it is the right thing to do.

Your mature warrior allows you to experience anger at injustice. It helps a woman consolidate an independent self in defining and defending legitimate psychological boundaries.

Warrior energy helps you do what you need to do, for your sake and for the sake of your clients. The mature warrior serves a purpose higher than self.

The bipolar immature warrior is a Sadist, who is ruthless and violates the boundaries and rights of others, such as the Mai-Lai Massacre in Viet Nam, or the Masochist who allows others to violate his or her boundaries.

Sadist:

The lawyer who is sarcastic, disrespectful and bullies clients and opposing lawyers, and likely family members as well. This lawyer will maim others professionally to "WIN." Values and morals are not significant.

Masochist:

This immature lawyer allows clients and opposing lawyers to intimidate him or her.

• What warrior space do you occupy?
  
• What space do your clients need you to occupy?
  

THE MAGICIAN OR HETAIRA:

This Archetype contains knowledge and competency.

The mature magician is introspective and aware, constantly acquiring new knowledge. It is said that the female Hetaira has the capacity to raise and contain power, to heal and act as mediator between human and divine spheres.

Lawyers use Magician energy all the time. MATURE lawyers use it to further the interest of their clients. Fear is seen as something good, and a powerful motivator.

The bipolar immature magician uses knowledge to manipulate others, or pretends ignorance in lacking moral courage.

Manipulator:

The lawyer who is unscrupulous and unethical in acquiring or using information.

Ignorant:

This lawyer feigns unknowing as justification for not thoroughly preparing and representing his or her client.

• What magician space do you occupy?
  
• What space do your clients need you to occupy?
  

THE LOVER:

The mature lover is compassionate, passionate, creative, awake, connects with others and is profoundly spiritual. In addition, the mature lover maintains healthy sexuality and appropriate sensuality.

This is the lawyer who represents his or her clients with a resounding YES, and is constantly looking for ways to be creative and improve this representation.

The bipolar immature lover is the addict/manipulator or Impotent one.

Addict:

This lawyer does not set appropriate professional boundaries, and may become enmeshed emotionally or sexually with his or her client.

Impotent One:

This is the lawyer who refuses to take appropriate risks and make tough decisions, unwilling to stand in his or her life as a lawyer.

• What Lover space do you occupy?
  
• What space do your clients need you to occupy?
  

The adult ego in each of us can access these archetypes in our personal and professional lives. The ideal is to strive toward the mature in each, and to maintain a balance in all.

Maturity in any one archetype requires the energy of the others. For example, it is my Warrior energy of maintaining boundaries that contains my Lover energy and directs it to the Mature.

Finally, imagine yourself now standing in your life as the Mature Archetypal Lawyer, in the full glory of the Mature Sovereign, Warrior, Magician and Lover.

• What do you look like?
  
• What is your attitude?
  
• How are you talking to your staff?
  
• How are your representing your clients?
  

Now imagine that you are completely aware of your archetypal balance, and notice how grounded you feel.

Is this the kind of lawyer you want to be?

For more information about this subject or other professional coaching, call MOLAP at 1-800-688-7859 for professional, confidential assistance.