Massachusetts LAP Roundup
Lawyers Concerned for Lawyers (LCL) is Massachusetts’ lawyer assistance program, and has been helping lawyers, students, and judges and their families since 1978. LCL’s website is full of useful information: self-tests, articles, etc., on topics ranging from alcohol and drugs abuse to depression, career concerns to stress and burnout. There’s also an interesting Q&A section [...]
Maryland LAP Roundup
The Maryland Lawyer Assistance Program (LAP) is a committee of the Maryland State Bar Association, and provides confidential, professional assistance to the legal community. LAP offers a weekly “12 Step Professional’s Support Group Meeting” in Baltimore. The program website includes extensive links and articles on topics such as grief, anger, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, illness, substance abuse [...]
Maine LAP Roundup
This week’s LAP is a relatively new one. The Maine Assistance Program for Lawyers and Judges (MAP) was created in 2002, and has three purposes: to protect clients, assist members, and educate the bench, bar, and public about impairment in the legal profession. The program “was established to prevent or alleviate problems before they jeopardize [...]
Louisiana LAP Roundup
The Louisiana Lawyers Assistance Program (LAP) provides confidential assistance to members of the Bar who are struggling with alcohol or drug abuse, gambling, and mental health issues. Lawyers and judges can obtain immediate and absolutely confidential help from a group of other lawyers, at least one of whom is recovering from the same impairment. The [...]
Kentucky LAP Roundup
Established by Kentucky’s Supreme Court Rules, the Kentucky Lawyer Assistance Program (KYLAP) aims to “address impairment or potential impairment issues within the Kentucky legal community and to offer confidential assistance to those who are affected in a manner that serves to help insure a continuing high standard of professional competence. “ While the KYLAP website [...]
Illinois LAP Roundup
The Illinois Lawyers’ Assistance Program (LAP) has a three-fold mission : To protect clients from impaired lawyers and judges To help lawyers, judges, and law students get assistance for alcohol dependency, drug addiction, and mental health problems To educate the legal community about addiction and mental health issues To achieve the goals of its mission, the [...]
Iowa LAP Roundup
This week, we’re sharing some information about the Iowa Lawyers Assistance Program (ILAP). The ILAP website includes a checklist for helping to assess whether you have a problem, and also some significant facts about the legal profession and alcoholism, depression, and how often disciplinary cases involve impaired lawyers. ILAP helps attorneys in need by arranging [...]
Indiana LAP Roundup
This week’s featured LAP is the Indiana Judges’ and Lawyers’ Assistance Program (JLAP). JLAP offers a variety of services for members of the profession who are dealing with mental health, substance abuse, and other issues. JLAP runs a number of monthly peer support group meetings, and has a large collection of electronic resources on such [...]
Idaho LAP Roundup
This week’s LAP roundup focuses on the Idaho Lawyer Assistance Program. The services provided by the Idaho LAP include: a 24-hour phone line guidance for both lawyers suffering from problems and referral sources information about interventions, drug/alcohol education and monitoring guidance for re-entering the workplace The Idaho LAP also has a Survival Guide on their [...]
Tips for Handling a Complaint or Lawsuit
John Starzynski, Volunteer Executive Director of the Ontario Lawyers’ Assistance Program, has an article in the latest edition of Lawyers Weekly. In “How to handle a client complaint or lawsuit“, Starzynski explains that it’s likely that in some point in every lawyer’s career, he or she will get a letter of complaint or be faced [...]
