The New York Law Journal has an article today entitled Despite ’93 Report, Substance Abuse Persists at Law Schools (full text available with free registration for e-newsletter) (by Thomas Adcock, 6/30/03). Honestly, I haven’t worried about this issue before, but it could clearly have a strong impact on the future of the profession and its clients (as could the Generation’s attitudes towards topics like honesty & cheating, service & entitlement — yikes!).
The NYLJ article covers a conference held on June 24th, which was hosted by Rochester, NY, attorney James C. Moore, and co-sponsored by the New York State Bar Association, the City Bar, and bar groups from seven surrounding states. Moore said the event was the first of its kind nationally. According to the NYLJ article:
- “Ten years after U.S. law schools received a startling white paper on alcohol and drug abuse among students and faculty, there seems to be no firm evidence of improvement. Last week, at a gathering of campus administrators at the Association of the Bar of the City of New York, the focus was on what — if anything — schools can do to address substance abuse problems in this high-stress population earlier and more effectively.”
- “According to several studies, attorneys are prone to the diseases of alcoholism and drug addiction at a ratio greater than the general population. The studies suggest this is due to the unusually high pressure of the profession.”
- Shannon Salinas, dean of students at Columbia Law School, noted “If I put on a program about alcoholism, I don’t think any [students] would come.” Instead, Salinas believes that instruction in substance abuse should be incorporated into professional responsibility and ethics courses. In addition, she said, “The school has a big hammer,” by which she meant the reckoning during bar certification proceedings. “If you don’t take care of yourself, something may happen, and you’ll jeopardize your future. The bar notice issue is a convenient tool for law school administrators.”
- John A. Sebert, former dean of the University of Baltimore School of Law, recommended that “Law schools should at least develop a written alcohol policy.” He suggested that the AALS report, with appendices containing formal policies adopted at some schools, might be re-released this fall, “to remind the deans — again.”
On a related topic, this month’s issue of the DC Bar’s magazine, Washington Lawyer, has a Bar Counsel column titled Factoring Disabilities Into Discipline: A Special Equation. In it, Joyce E. Peters explains the complications that arise when substance abuse, mental illness or other disabilities are brought into the disciplinary process. Also, if you’re looking for an Articles Archive for Lawyers Seeking Counseling on substance abuse, depression, or stress, you can find a good one on the DCBar website.