To effectively communicate, we must realize that we are all different in the way we perceive the world and use this understanding as a guide to our communication with others. –Tony Robbins

After months of watching news coverage of violence, cringing as hateful rhetoric spills across social media, and wincing at painful reminders of inequality, it seems like many of our communities are broken. But how did the varied strands of our communities suddenly become at diabolical odds, steadfastly pitted against each other, unwilling to meet in the middle on any given issue?

I am left with a heavy heart and a drive to do something. But who am I? I’m just a small-firm lawyer in my own little world. What is my something? What is your something?

If you’re reading this, you’re likely a lawyer too. You and I have that in common. We sacrificed time, money (a lot of money!), sleep, and countless other luxuries to obtain that education. And if you’re trotting along in your career like I am, you may sometimes forget. Don’t. Our education and training sets us apart from the rest of society. In fact, I believe it is the reason why lawyers are needed to help repair the brokenness in our communities.

As lawyers, we are trained to communicate effectively. And in my opinion, the root of much conflict in the world is a lack of effective communication. If we are not truly communicating, we cannot see the world through our neighbors’ eyes. If we cannot see what they see, we do not understand them. If we do not understand them, the only thing visible is the stark difference between “them” and “us.” When we get to that point, we’ve mixed a recipe for misunderstanding and resentment, which can lead to hate. That applies to all aspects of life, and both sides of any issue. Think about the stuff we are seeing on television, in newspapers, and in parking lots. We are becoming an “us” versus “them” society, based on stereotypes and assumptions. In the immortal words from Cool Hand Luke, “What we’ve got here is failure to communicate.” Indeed. I think that’s true for many of our friends and neighbors. This is where lawyers can help.

Lawyers are trained to view the world through their opponent’s eyes. For us, it’s critical to learn our opponent’s arguments better than they know them, so we better understand our own position. That training translates into real-life, social strengths. We, unlike most of society, have been trained to cast aside our emotional beliefs and fears in order understand the “other side,” and our understanding is based on facts that can be established. We do not blindly rely on pure emotion because courts do not accept it. In truth, we would gladly cross-examine our own grandmothers if we thought they were fibbing.

It’s true. We are trained to find the strengths of our opponent’s positions and articulate them well. In fact, we can take the other side of an issue and argue like hell every reason why it’s right. We have some other helpful skills too. We have the life experience to know that people who look or act guilty are not always so. We have the experience to understand that well-dressed, polished speakers are not always honest. And, perhaps most importantly, we have the training to listen and view the world from the shoes of the person standing across the room.

Oh yeah. We know the actual law too. Lawyered!

What does that have to do with violence, partisan rhetoric, and inequality? Everything.

It all starts in our homes and communities. Our families and our communities need strong leaders to serve as bridging voices of reason to bring differing views together. There is always a middle ground. There is always something we can agree on. And lawyers are trained to find them. Ergo, communities need lawyers.

So what is my something? Your something? We must use our education and training to bridge divides between groups, resolve miscommunications, and foster genuine understanding. Those are skills we naturally bring to the table. The truth is that you (Yes, you!) are needed everywhere, so no need to join a group you do not like. Just be present in your community. From the PTA, to social groups, to local government, communities need leaders who communicate well.

So what is the catch? We have to actually be engaged in our communities. We must put down the phone, turn off the computer (I understand the irony at this moment), walk out of the office door and into the bright sunshine of society to interact with people. Heck. We may even get a new client out of the relationships we find. If we all did our part, we may not solve the world’s problems, but I bet we would see a lot more tolerance, understanding, and kindness.

You have a wonderful gift that took three years to earn, and it transcends the billable hour and the daily grind. You have a voice with an ability to change the world around you, and your communities need you to use it.

So, I am challenging you to find one “something” in your community that interests you, resolve to be present, and use your skills to strengthen that group of neighbors. If all lawyers accept this challenge, we would see unparalleled progress in our communities, and a lot less of the bad stuff.

Zackary T. Zuroweste is the President-Elect of The Florida Bar Young Lawyers Division. He is a partner at The Persante Law Group, P.A. in Clearwater, where he practices probate litigation, business litigation, and securities litigation and arbitration.