Commission on Lawyer Assistance Programs

We're Better Together: Lawyers Helping Lawyers.

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About Us

The ABA Commission on Lawyer Assistance Programs (CoLAP) has a mission to assure that every judge, lawyer and law student has access to support and assistance when confronting alcoholism, substance use disorders or mental health issues so that lawyers are able to recover, families are preserved and clients and other members of the public are protected. This mission is carried out by supporting the work of state and local Lawyer Assistance Programs (LAPs) as they provide hands-on services and support to those in need of their assistance.

News

Anti-Stigma Campaign

Profession-Wide Anti-Stigma Campaign: A Fundraising Challenge

CoLAP is raising money to help de-stigmatize mental health and substance use disorders in the legal profession. Donations will go towards high-quality videos that highlight personal recovery stories of lawyers, judges, and law students who have overcome these issues, serving to raise awareness about the nature of addiction and mental health distress in our profession, and challenging the biases and stigma that surround those problems.

ABA Journal article about the Campaign

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Law School Mental Health Day Moved to October 10

The ABA Law Student Division has officially moved Law School Mental Health Day to October 10. In recognition of Law School Mental Health Day, the American University Washington College of Law hosted a live YouTube event featuring Laurie Besden, Pennsylvania Lawyers Concerned for Lawyers Executive Director, who is in recovery with an incredible story to share. To view the session, "To Hell and Back: One Lawyer’s Path to Recovery," click on the link below. Share Law School Mental Health Day activities with #LawStudentWellness.

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Well-Being Pledge for Legal Employers

The Working Group to Advance Well-Being in the Legal Profession—an ABA presidential initiative—has launched a Campaign to improve the substance use and mental health landscape of the legal profession. The primary vehicle for the Campaign is a Pledge for legal employers. The Working Group encourages all legal employers to join the Campaign and take the Pledge by January 1, 2019.

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Well-Being Toolkit for Lawyers and Legal Employers

The new Well-Being Toolkit for Lawyers and Legal Employers offers tools and practical guidance for legal employers who want to join the lawyer well-being movement by launching organizational initiatives. Also available is the Well-Being Toolkit Nutshell: 80 Tips For Lawyer Thriving, summarizing 80 of the Toolkit’s key items to help get you started on a lawyer well-being initiative. The Toolkit was created by Anne Brafford, member of the Working Group to Advance Well-Being in the Legal Profession.

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ABA HOD Adopts Lawyer Well-Being Resolution 105 at Midyear Meeting

The ABA House of Delegates adopted Resolution 105 at the ABA Midyear Meeting in Vancouver, which supports the goal of reducing mental health and substance use disorders and improving the well-being of lawyers, judges and law students.

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