The Idaho Lawyer Assistance Program (LAP) is an organization that helps and supports lawyers experiencing problems associated with alcohol and/or drug use or mental health issues. Reports now estimate that lawyers have problems with substance abuse at higher rates than the general population. Recent reports have also shown that a majority of disciplinary problems involve chemical dependency or emotional stress. Our programs assist individuals in finding addiction treatment for lawyers and finding support for long-term sobriety. To learn more about our services, contact Southworth Associates today at (866) 460-9014.
What Does the Lawyer Assistance Program Do?
The LAP program also focuses on the education of legal professionals and their families and friends about the causes, effects, and treatment of alcohol and drug dependency, depression, and mental health problems.
The Lawyer Assistance Program helps attorneys and their families identify alcohol, drug, or behavioral problems that pose a potential threat to that lawyer, their family, or the clients. The LAP will work to identify and facilitate acute treatment. The program will also provide long-term support for the lawyer to return to a productive place within his/her profession. While the program provides no direct counseling, treatment, or aftercare services, it does support the development of self-help groups at the local level.
What is the Lawyer Assistance Program?
The LAP is a resource for legal professionals, their families, colleagues, and other affiliates. Disciplinary action does little to intervene in the addiction and may frequently be counterproductive to identifying and treating it. The treatment has proven to be effective for both the individual and society. Attorneys have an opportunity to enter into substance abuse treatment and to recover from their diseases early in the disease process. The LAP can serve to minimize negative impacts on the professionals, patients/clients, and their families and friends.
When to Reach Out to the Lawyer Assistance Program?
It’s critical to know when to reach out to our addiction specialist team to seek addiction treatment for lawyers. There are several signs that you need to reach out to the lawyer assistance program. These include:
- Failed to show up at the office or appear in court because you had a hangover or were “a little under the weather?”
- Experienced deteriorating relationships with clients, staff, and friends?
- Frequently missed appointments with clients?
- Ever awakened to discover that you couldn’t remember what had happened the night before?
- Showed up drunk at court or for a deposition?
- Been drinking or using drugs during office hours?
- Used, misused, co-mingled, or borrowed clients’ trust funds?
- Had to have another lawyer make your court appearances for you because you were hungover?
- Regularly had more than one drink at lunch?
- Noticed that drinking is affecting your reputation?
- Missed deadlines, filed pleadings late, allowed a statute of limitations to run, failed to pay your Bar dues?
- Worried that these things are happening to you more and more frequently?
- Needed a drink because something good or bad happened?
- Gotten drunk at Bar meetings and social gatherings?
Contact Southworth Associates for the LAP Program
An addiction doesn’t have to ruin your life and those of your family members. If a lawyer you love is battling an addiction to drugs and alcohol, please reach out to our team today. We offer several unique services to residents of Idaho and across the globe, including:
- Confidential Consultation available 24 hours a day
- Interventions
- Assessment
- Referrals
- Education and Research
- Assistance in ascertaining lawyers who will volunteer time as temporary replacements while in treatment
We also work with the ALPS (Attorney Liability Protection Society), who provided the grant to support the Idaho LAP Program. To learn more about our Lawyer Assistance Program, contact Southworth Associates today at (866) 460-9014.