This chapter’s focus is the impact of empathic distress on laws, which are a major vehicle of profound changes in economic institutions, politics, and history—perhaps the major vehicle since laws are less subject to individual choice and affect everyone’s behavior. It draws heavily on work on empathy’s arousal, development, contribution to caring and justice motivation, its limitations, and the law review literature. The conclusions: empathy is no panacea, nor is it a sideshow as some claim, and despite its flaws it has been a constructive force in social change. Since there’s no viable alternative, empathy may be the only glue available to help conflicting groups achieve the social cohesion, conflict resolution, and cooperation needed to save the planet. So, empathy must be kept alive. Scholars can help by researching how to minimize its flaws and exploit its virtues.