legal sanity

The latest edition of the ABA’s GP/Solo Magazine captioned “More Bumps in the Road” features articles about helping lawyers with substance abuse, mental health and other problems navigate their way to recovery and wellbeing. I learned a lot about multi-tasking lawyer assistance programs (LAPs), coordinated programs, “usually supported by a state bar association or related agency, consisting of trained professionals or volunteers charged with the duty of assisting members of the legal community—usually attorneys, judges, and law students—who are suffering from mental or physical conditions that may impair their ability to practice law.” Other articles address important lawyer-life issues such as coping with grief, eating disorders and various stressors linked to burnout and unhappiness. Of course, these issues are not unique to the solo/small firm world and the articles were published with the hope that they’ll be widely read, shared and discussed. As the editor states: “This issue of GPSolo is about you and those you care about. You may recognize yourself in this issue. Even if you don’t, you’ll recognize some of your colleagues, associates, partners, clients, friends, and family members. Don’t be selfish. Share this issue with them.”