Being with people we like and law department productivity

According to researchers into positive psychology, the study of hedonics and eudemonics, a huge amount of our happiness is determined by social interactions. Having people we like around us brings us joy.

Collateral research finds that most moments of “flow,” of feeling involved and productive, result from collaboration with someone we like. The implication for law departments is that teamwork, communities of practice, projects, and joint efforts will probably give most lawyers the most satisfaction. That is, unless, by self selection and education, lawyers tend to be loners.