ABOUT

A new approach to your legal issues

Are you having a hard time dealing with the stress and strains of a traumatic legal situation? Moving from anxiety and overwhelm to Calm Strength can help you resolve your issues easier, faster and usually with a better outcome.

In my 28 years as a licensed attorney, I've seen people's cases suffer because of debilitating emotions and not knowing how to deal with attorneys and the legal system. I've developed a process to "tune up" my clients so they can be more calm, focused and strong for their case.

Over the course of my early years, I became aware that everything was important when interviewing clients: their fears frustrations, and the whole social, historical and personal backgrand of their drama. I learned that my clients needed to be fully heard and understood.

As I began to incorporate more meditation and emotional aspects into my work with my clients, I gained insight into how to help them effectively move forward.

So this process not only helps my clients feel heard and understood, it is also highly effective in moving a case to resolution.

From this larger view, we begin.

Note: this site offers legal situation coaching and education, not legal advice or services.

Duane Light, JD

Holistic Legal Coach for People Having to Face a Traumatic Legal Issue

About Duane

Duane Light is a pioneer in the field of law, bridging spiritual principles, emotional clearing and the practicalities of law. With this multi-pronged approach, Duane helps his clients move from debilitating stress and overwhelm to empowered clarity and compassion.

Duane was raised in an abusive and alcoholic family. For several decades he has worked to heal the PTSD from that experience, and cultivate a life with more peace, happiness, and also the strength to be a practicing lawyer in court. His experience of moving through depression, fear and anger allows him to compassionately work with these in his coaching practice. His clients know that he understands them, and they appreciate his empathy and experience that often parallels their current challenges.

Duane has been a licensed California attorney for 28 years and has practiced in most civil law areas, including Wills and Trusts, Family issues, Injury/Insurance, Debt, Real Estate, Nonprofits, and Small Business.

He is also a certified Integrative Restoration (iRest) Teacher and Practitioner. iRest has been successfully used to help people successfully move through trauma, including soldiers returning from combat suffering from PTSD. Based in both spiritual and psychological understandings, iRest helps clients clear trauma without having to delve into mental story-telling and re-creation of the trauma, so they can function again in their lives in a peaceful and effective way.

Duane lived in Asia for five years and extensively studied and practiced within a wide variety of spiritual disciplines, including esoteric Christianity, Buddhism, Taoism, Native American and modern western modalities. With this background, he works with his client’s spiritual path or beliefs, showing them how to live their highest values even in the midst of legal trauma.

Duane’s clients love his calm demeanor, confidence and sense of humor as he guides them to a more heartful and powerful way of resolving legal and life conflicts.

How we work together

• We have an initial 1 1/2 to 2 hour  session, focused on your experience, feelings, thoughts, people involved, background, and more importantly, your longer term goals and how you want to show up, how you want to BE while navigating through this challenge. We’ll focus on what you are thinking, feeling, and experiencing in your body and in your life.
• I’ll offer some initial suggestions, and we’ll discuss a path forward. I often like to start with 2 to 4 hours of planned work together, to see how it goes for each of us.
• We talk again, and plan next steps with goals, timelines and check-ins. We work on all levels – practical, emotional, relational, and spiritual. I have studied and practiced in a wide variety of spiritual disciplines, Eastern and Western, and we tailor this aspect to your beliefs and practices. There will be immediate steps for you to find more ease and peace, and to make the next communication, decision or action in your case in a firm but conflict-defusing way.
• We continue to work together as needed. Some clients’ issues resolve after one or two sessions. Other clients, in long-term litigation or divorce mediation for example, may work with me for months or years.

An example: Sierra’s story

"The work that Duane did with me has changed the nature of my relationships with people in positions of authority that used to intimidate me.”

Sierra was behind in IRS payments and did not have the ability to pay. From early childhood, she had been intimidated by authority figures. She was looking to an upcoming call with an IRS agent with a lot of fear.

We had a long session, and we talked about her unitive spiritual beliefs – that at the core we all have the spark of God, the Kingdom within, the Buddha within. I asked her if she could see the IRS agent as a spiritual being in a difficult life circumstance.

The IRS is one of the worst places to work. Their turnover is three times higher than the average business. So I asked if, before she called this agent, that she meditate and see and feel him as a friend in the making – just be kind and personal. She made the call and was able to connect with him on a human level. The agent ended up completely writing off her debt!

Why this works: IRS agents, Insurance Adjustors, Judges, Lawyers, Court Clerks, and most other people in a position of power usually have to deal with stressed-out, fearful, untrusting, evasive, and often angry people. When you fall into the 5% of people who are kind, authentic, and treat everyone in a kind and friendly way, then you are more likely to receive a more positive response.

8 years later, Sierra had to deal with a insurance adjustor for an auto accident. She was seeking a new but effective medical treatment that insurers typically don’t cover.

Sierra befriended the agent, they ended up talking deeply about their families, and Sierra learned that the agent’s daughter was having a similar medical issue.
Sierra educated the agent about the new procedure. The agent authorized payment for Sierra, and also authorized this new medical procedure for her own daughter!

The work that Duane did with me has changed the nature of my relationships with people in positions of authority that used to intimidate me, such as the IRS and insurance adjustors. It didn’t just change a skill set, it changed a mindset for me and opened my heart to people that I had been afraid of."
- Sierra Faith

Please Note: This testimonial or endorsement does not constitute a guarantee, warranty or prediction regarding the outcome of your legal matter. It is also not intended or offered as legal advice.

Private Coaching

Private coaching. Single sessions are $275/hr., with 4-session prepayment $250/hr., or with 12 session pre-payment, $225/hr. With the 12 session pre-payment, If you purchase 12 sessions in advance, I'll also provide up to two email questions per month and one 15 minute emergency coaching sessions per month as needed.

Special Service - Helping you Find and Hire an Attorney: If you wish to hire an attorney, I can guide you or research and make calls for you find an attorney  for your case. I can often negotiate a reduced fee, or find the best possible attorney at the lowest fee. For example, I recently negotiated an attorney fee from $550 down to $500/hr., which has already saved my client more $20,000. In another case, I interviewed three attorneys for estate administration work. The first two attorneys wanted a flat fee of $5,000. The third, with extensive experience in this area, agreed to do the work for $1,200 and did a great job. Additionally, because I may provide some oversight of the attorneys' work, I can often help avoid over-charges or unnecessary work. This is at my $250/hr. rate, with a one hour minimum.

Email me at duane@peaceinthelaw.com with a brief summary of your situation to see if I may be able to help you.