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A NEWSLETTER FROM THE ABA COMMISSION ON LAWYER ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS HIGHof the AmericanLIG Bar Association CommissionH on Lawyer AssistanceTS Programs VOL. 13, NO. 2 n SUMMER 2010 Helping Law Students BY SUSAN GROVER awyer Assistance Programs (LAPs) are increasingly providing help to law students. LAP directors work with deans of students, student groups, and individuals to deliver a broad range of services. They coordinate support/discus- sion groups, provide training to law students, and counsel and refer individuals Lfor treatment. This expansion of services is probably a natural result of LAPs’ coming into their own, but also a function of a higher profile in student needs. Also, stigmas are beginning to drop away from mental health issues, allowing students to speak out, and savvy student services professionals and LAP directors are asking the right questions. Challenges confronting law students are increasing and increasingly visible. The same factors that exacerbate stresses in the legal profession exacerbate stresses in the academy: the job market has tightened, competition for scarce clients is increasing, and the realm of information that a lawyer must master in order to be a “legal expert” is burgeoning. Yet, anyone who has seen The Paper Chase knows that stress in law school is nothing new and entails factors unique to the academic situation. The law school experience is and always has been prone to cause student depression, anxiety, and alienation. Even faculty, whose high expectations are sometimes cited as a cause of law student stress, are recognizing the problem. There is actually a movement in legal education of professors and others who want to humanize legal education. I would like here to share with you some perspectives that students have shared with me on the reasons why law school interferes with their well-being. Those reasons fall CONTINUED ON PAGE 8 The Last to Know ANONYMOUS was the last to know. Like many people that I used drugs occasionally. However, addicts are very good at putting the blind- with alcohol or drug problems, every- this was not a problem because I worked ers on and going about their business as if one around me knew before I did. I forty hours a week, went to school, and everything is fine. I was no different. Some was great at seeing other people’s prob- had great grades. How could drugs be a folks figure it out for themselves. Others Ilems. In my hometown, I could tell you for problem to someone who was seemingly are forced to understand. Some people sure that Bill was a drunk. I could see that successful? I knew that my spouse went never get it. I was in the middle category. Bob had a drug problem. I knew beyond a out a lot without me. This seemed normal I have been sober for around three years shadow of a doubt that Ben was cheating on enough; I also went out a lot alone. What I now and I have no doubt that had I not his wife. I could easily see all the ills of the did not realize until later was that I was an been forced to confront my problems, they world around me, except my own. alcoholic, drugs had become a problem in would have gone on, unmasked. Luckily, Before law school, I knew that I drank my life, and my spouse was cheating on me. the Alabama Lawyer Assistance Program nearly every night. Yet, it did not dawn on Nobody wants to believe that they have (ALAP) helped me confront my issues. me that it might be a problem. I also knew a substance abuse problem. Alcoholics and Now, many people might ask, and have CONTINUED ON PAGE 10 Published in Highlights, Volume 13, Number 2, Summer 2010. © 2010 by the American Bar Association. Reproduced with permission. All rights reserved. This information or any portion thereof may not be copied or disseminated in any form or by any means or stored in an electronic database or retrieval system without the express written consent of the American Bar Association. 937978_crx.indd 1 7/22/10 10:13:02 AM HIGHLIGHTS AMERICAN BAR ASSOCIATION Highlights is a quarterly newsletter published by the Comments from the Editor American Bar Association Commission on Lawyer Assistance Programs (CoLAP) for the news and information ex change needs of the lawyer assistance There are many aspects of my work as a LAP director that provide me with much satisfac- programs community. tion. But the work that I like the best is the interaction I have with law students. In my pro- Editor in Chief gram, I have the privilege of making presentations to the law students at our two area law Hugh Grady schools. These include presentations at orientation, seminars, and the occasional invitation Publications Board Rick Allan, Kirsten Judd, Joseph L. Lemon, to present in an ethics class. Many other LAPs have the same opportunity and privilege. Jeanne Marie Leslie, Michael Long, and Nancy Stek CoLAP has been instrumental in providing LAPs with the necessary tools for entry into CoLAP Commission Roster, 2009–2010 law schools. I was able to use those tools to increase my presence and participations. It remains Hon. Robert L. Childers, CoLAP Chair, a principal mission of CoLAP to reach out to and help law students in any way we can. The [email protected] model Conditional Admission Rule written by CoLAP and adopted by the ABA is another Rick B. Allan, [email protected] invaluable asset for those graduating students who have experienced problems in the past. Joan Bibelhausen, [email protected] Hugh Grady, [email protected] This issue of Highlights focuses on law students. The pressures of competition and natural Susan Grover*, [email protected] desire to succeed are principle factors in students abusing alcohol and drugs at this early James O. Heiting, [email protected] stage in their lives. Depression, stress, and burnout are common among students. It’s im- George Harrison Hettrick, [email protected] perative that LAPs try and reach these students as early as possible through education and Jayne Mahboubi, [email protected] intervention when possible. The opportunity to “plant seeds” of awareness is priceless. The James E. Smith Jr., [email protected] Janet Piper Voss, [email protected] satisfaction of helping a student in difficulty is priceless. Liaisons Board of Governors —HUGH GRADY, IOWA LAWYERS ASSISTANCE PROGRAM Richard A. Soden, [email protected] Young Lawyers Division Franchesca Hamilton-Acker, [email protected] Law Student Brett E. Gallagher, [email protected] Chair’s Column CoLAP Advisory Committee, 2009–2010 Laura Gatrell, [email protected] Law Student Assistance Terry Harrell, [email protected] Carol M. Hoffman*, [email protected] BY HONORABLE ROBERT L. “BUTCH” CHILDERS Teresa D. Jones*, [email protected] William John Kane*, [email protected] Michael E. Larson, [email protected] Jeanne Marie Leslie, [email protected] Guy Quesnel*, [email protected] At the ABA the formation of the Law School Outreach Andrew J. Rothermel*, [email protected] Annual Meeting Committee. I had come across a copy of Judy Rushlow*, [email protected] in 2002 then- the report of the AALS Special Committee W. Terry Sherrill, [email protected] Commission on and after reviewing the report it occurred Gena Lewis Singleton, [email protected] Lawyer Assistance to me that CoLAP should be working to Nancy Stek, [email protected] Michael A. Stewart Sr.*, [email protected] Programs (CoLAP) address substance abuse and mental health Janis Thibault, [email protected] Chair John Clark issues of lawyers at the earliest possible *New members appointed me as the stage, and after discussion among the Staff Counsel of the ABA’s CoLAP chair of CoLAP’s commissioners, we decided that was in William Hornsby new Law School law school. Thus the creation of the Law ABA Publishing Outreach Commit- School Outreach Committee. Managing Editor tee. Later that year I met with then-ABA Because the Law School Outreach Angela Gwizdala Executive Director Bob Stein, who had Committee has continued to work to assist Graphic Designer previously been dean of the University of law students and to work with the law Elmarie Calungcaguin Minnesota Law School, to get his ideas and schools to assist law students, the committee suggestions for good people from the law has been transformed into an ongoing Law All reprint rights are reserved. American Bar Association ISSN Pending. © 2010 American Bar Association. For reprint permission contact Manager, schools to serve on this new committee. Bob School Assistance Committee. Although ABA Copyrights & Licensing, ABA Copyrights and Contracts Depart ment, Fax: 312/988-6030, E-mail: [email protected], Online: www.abanet.org/reprint. was very helpful in suggesting the names of there have been many commissioners, Advertising: For advertising opportunities in Highlights, please contact several deans and law professors who were Advisory Committee members, LAP Advertising Business Manager, Anne Bitting at 312/988-6115. interested in our efforts to assist law stu- directors, and others who have done a Disclaimer: The materials contained herein represent the opinions of the authors and editors and should not be construed to be those of either the dents who were affected by substance abuse tremendous amount of work for the com- American Bar Association or Commission on Lawyer Assistance Programs and mental health issues. It was actually mittee, I would like to thank a number unless adopted pursuant to the bylaws of the Association. Nothing contained herein is to be consid ered as the rendering of legal advice for specific cases, Bob Stein’s work as chair of the Associa- of people from outside the Commission and readers are responsible for obtaining such advice from their own legal counsel.

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