I'm currently honored to be a judge in the Internet Bar Contest on building trusted online communities. In this role I'm seeking to introduce Integral Theory to participants as a means of expanding this extremely cogent and leading-edge theory into the legal community and conversations.

Integral Theory has been around for some time, but has gained most visibility through the work of Ken Wilber (www.kenwilber.com, www.integralinstitute.org). It is a complex and multifaceted body of knowledge, but at its most distilled essence it stands for the proposition that all of human endeavor, communication and development--including each specific instance--operates in four quadrants that roughly correlate to the basic perspectives that cognitively developed people can take: I, you/we, it and its.

Beyond these perspectives, Integral Theory incorporates the work of social demographers to create a kind of matrix of consciousness that can be seen empirically in extremely clear ways. When you put the two together you can clearly pinpoint the specific ways that individuals, communities and cultures view the world.

This is the first in a series of posts on Integral Theory. This is a fascinating field of study that plots all human endeavor in a detailed map of consciousness, then relates how one's world view at different levels of awareness or consciousness leads to one's reality, one's action and one's mental, emotional and spiritual life. To me, this kind of integral model is deeply needed in our fragmented world and I believe it offers tremendous potential for lawyers and for the development of systems of law and justice that better serve to help evolve people, institutions and nations/cultures.

This post lays out a simple example that everyone can relate to--getting too much change back from a minor financial transaction--and plots possible responses into different world views.

The Internet Bar Association is sponsoring a contest grounded in developing trusted online relationships in the global e-comerce marketplace. The contest revolves around commentary and developing solutions based on a real-world fact pattern involving trust, conflict, litigation and business. First prize is an all-expenses paid trip to Hong Kong for an international conference on e-commerce sponsored by the UN. There are also several other prizes.

Check it out at www.internetbarcontest.org

Registration is open until 5-15-07. There is no cost to register.

Richard Susskind's book "Transforming the Law: Essays on Technology, Justice and the Legal Marketplace," is a must-read for any lawyer grappling with the changes occurring in the way law is practiced--and specifically on the way services are delivered.

Susskind, a veteran advisor to law firms and governments, has been writing about these issues for at least fifteen years. In Transforming the Law, he notes that many of the changes he forecast in the middle 1990's in fact came to pass (the need for law firm websites, the need for law firm IT staff, marketing via the Internet and the rise of online legal solutions provided by non-lawyers to name a few).  Writing in 2003, Susskind predicts that "within a very few years . . .almost everyone in developed societies will enjoy easy access to a much enhanced Internet and World Wide Web. This will be the natural and definitive first port of call for all sorts of entertainment, information, guidance and services--not just for a few, but for all of us."

Blogger Arnie Herz wrote a terrific post this week about how changing values among law students and new lawyers don't mix well with many law firm's traditional notions of how to build a career, get ahead and make partner.

Herz goes on to cite a book by Robert Sutton called "The No Asshole Rule" for the proposition that this new breed of lawyer will simply refuse to tolerate a work environment full of what they consider out-moded values and ways of relating to other people through nastiness, dominance and other such qualities long-tolerated in the professional work place.

San Diego--my home for the past seven years--has all kinds of wonderful spots for visitors. From Sea World to the Zoo and Wild Animal Park to the revitalized downtown night spots and of course our many beaches. But if you do visit and want to experience a place of magical peace and well-being, travel up the coast to Encinitas and spend a couple of hours in the gardens of the Yoganada Fellowship.