WHY ARE LAWYERS SO AFRAID the same as a client seeking legal advice. It is confidential. Lawyers who convince themselves that it is not, are often using that as an excuse not to seek help. I can tell you that Lawyers Assistance Programs value their confidentiality with lawyers, and will not even disclose information to the Bar without the lawyer’ s consent. The only way I’ ve ever learned of a lawyer participating in a Lawyer Assistance Program is because the lawyer made that disclosure to me.
What can the professional as a whole do to lessen the stigma and dispel myths surrounding reaching out of help( as an example, what could law firms be doing better to support lawyers or the LAP’ s getting the word down to solos that they even exist)
Much of the stigma is based on the lack of discussion amongst lawyers. Partners and associates will meet to discuss cases and clients and billable hours, but the topic of“ is everything okay” is not part of the agenda. I think every law office, private, governmental, corporate, should set aside time to discuss issues of alcohol and drug use. Firms should make it clear that seeking help prior to any issue affecting the practice is going to be met with assistance, and not discipline. Bar Associations, and State Bars should be sending that same message to lawyers who are sole practitioners or in small firms. The fear of disclosure often leads to disaster for the individual lawyer, and the firm. When that fear is dissolved, we will have a healthier and therefore more productive Bar.
There you have it. The true reality is that addiction recovery is not part of the legal culture despite the fact that according to recent studies, problematic drinking clearly is. A recovery culture needs to be integrated from the top down. How do we begin this? Start simple. How difficult is it to bring the local LAP into your firm with a presentation a couple times a year? How difficult is it to bring a lawyer in recovery in to talk about the reality? Do it in place of that law firm happy hour. How difficult is it for local bar associations, especially for young lawyers to pair events with something other than wine tastings and happy hours? Maybe even a recovery event now and then? Time well spent. Culture changes one person at a time.
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National Association of Consumer Bankruptcy Attorneys Spring 2017 CONSUMER BANKRUPTCY JOURNAL 23