The Art of Perception: A Lesson on Looking

Lawyers understand the art of persuasion. Few understand the art of perception. Everyone perceives differently and views the world and others through the lens of their upbringing and life experiences. Understanding how your perceptions frame your views makes you a better lawyer. It is a skill that helps you view clients, opponents, co-workers, and the judiciary differently and helps you understand and recognize your biases.

NJICLE is pleased to present The Art of Perception, a professional development program that teaches participants to view and analyze works of art as a vehicle to enhance their observation, perception, and communication skills. In this highly participatory workshop designed for attorneys at all levels, individuals revisit both the application of their perception skills and the ability to communicate concisely and effectively in a variety of legal contexts. The program has been specifically designed to address the role of perception and observation in leadership development, the importance of non-verbal communication, and how it relates to working with clients. Art and photography are also used as tools to reconsider bias, prejudice, cultural competence, and related ethical issues encountered by legal professionals in both litigation and transactional practice. This program will help you:

Uncover and address biases, assumptions, and other ethical challenges in today's diverse work environments
Develop and evaluate your visual acuity
Consider and reconsider own biases, prejudices, cultural competence, and communications with clients, colleagues, and the judiciary
To become more innovative and more emphatic towards clients and colleagues
Learn the value of visual literacy
Develop enhanced perception and precise communication in today's complex, diverse, and technologically driven workplaces
As an attorney and art historian, Amy Herman conducts The Art of Perception for legal, law enforcement, and intelligence agencies at the local, state, and federal levels. The program began with the New York City Police Department in 2004, and over the last 15 years, has expanded to many different agencies involved in investigative, prosecutorial, analytical, and intelligence work, all of which seek to improve the observation and communication skills of their personnel.

The program has been conducted for the Department of Justice, the State Department, and the FBI (Surveillance, Leadership, and Counterterrorism Divisions) in Washington, DC, the Federal Judicial Center, the New York and Richmond Country District Attorney’s Offices, the office of ADR in New York City, the Criminal Justice Department in Connecticut, the New York State Prosecutors Training Institute, the Pennsylvania Bar Association, and for attorneys in private practice across the country. The Art of Perception has been approved for CLE credit in New York State.

Learn more about The Art of Perception in this Ted Talk.