I recently hiked through Iceland’s Þingvellir (Thingvellir) National Park where amidst the tectonic plates of the rift valley, the exquisite waterfalls and massive lava landscape rich in austerity, I discovered the site of the Icelandic people’s “law rock”, dating from 930.
I’ve often found that by having a particular lens to look through when I travel, I’m better able to bridge common links between cultures. Sometimes law fills that role for me, sometimes it’s something entirely different like food or wine or music. On this recent Icelandic adventure law played an interesting role for me- whereas on a previous 2005 trip to Iceland I’d visited the modern day Parliament while in session and been fascinated by the equal representation of women in Parliament, on this trip I was instead fascinated by a bit of Iceland’s legal history. While immersed in the beauty of Þingvellir I learned that it had once been the location for the Alþing meeting, an annual summer gathering spot where Icelanders came together from far and wide to hear anyone who wanted to speak and be heard, and where “the law speaker” was chosen for a three-year term, having three years to memorize all the laws of the land, as well as the responsibility to recite the procedural rules each summer; it was a system of governance that lasted until 1262 when Iceland came under rule of the Norwegian King.
From time immemorial, most every culture has created some sort of system to enforce its societal norms and standards. What fascinates me are not only the differences in values and how differently they’re enforced, but also where laws are made and how environments matter. Just as there’s a huge difference between gathering around a table with a mediator or a collaborative team to resolve differences rather than testifying on a witness stand before a Judge in a Courtroom, I can only imagine how the majesty of Þingvellir National Park must have inspired early settlers to care for the land and abide by the laws of their time. However, it wasn’t until 1930 that Iceland identified Þingvellir as a National Park and established a local system of conservation, a conversation that had first been sparked in 1913 when an Icelandic history teacher wrote an article which triggered a discussion about the need to establish Þingvellir as a national park, citing examples of national parks in the US that had been established to preserve spaces of natural beauty.
Sometimes it takes an unexpectedly long time to accomplish goals that once identified can bring rapid resolution. At Consilium we first identify issues needing resolution and then create environments to facilitate those goals. Combining compassion, knowledge of divorce law and deep roots in the community allows us to help our clients become the agents of their own family’s restructuring.
