2023
April
On April 6, 2023, the Commission on Lawyer Assistance Programs (CoLAP) held its monthly virtual meeting. The next monthly meeting will be virtual and held on May 4, 2023. CoLAP Subcommittees continued to meet and make plans for their respective projects and initiatives.
On April 18, 2023, the Well-Being Pledge Subcommittee held its Spring Workshop. Speakers from various well-being backgrounds presented sessions on: “The Future of the Well-Being Movement: What Forward Thinkers are Anticipating as the Movement Expands,” “Full Rooms, Full Zooms: How to Get Your Well-Being Programs the Engagement They Deserve” and “Stress, Overwhelm & Burnout (and what to do about them).”
As part of the Joint Initiative Working Group, Policy Subcommittee members considered amendments to ABA Model Rule of Professional Conduct Rule 1.1. A draft resolution and report was previously sent to ABA entities and interested third parties. The comment period closed April 7, 2023, and the working group is reviewing the comments ahead of its planned submission for consideration of the House of Delegates at this summer’s Annual meeting.
March
On March 2, 2023, the Commission on Lawyer Assistance Programs (CoLAP) held its monthly virtual meeting where it discussed administrative, programming, and website updates from the Commission and its subcommittees. The Commission’s next monthly meeting will be virtual and held on April 4, 2023.
Last Fall, CoLAP’s Chair also made Subcommittee appointments to tackle initiatives for the 2022-2023 bar year. Per these initiatives, the Subcommittees met and planned as below:
On March 2, 2023, March 16, 2023, and March 30, 2023, the 2023 National Conference Planning & Awards Committee met to discuss potential titles, topics, and next steps for CoLAP’s 2023 National Conference in Springfield, MA. The group will soon review RFPs for National Conference sessions in addition to identifying sponsors and exhibitors.
On March 7, 2023, and March 21, 2023, the Well-Being Pledge Subcommittee held its bi-weekly meeting. The Subcommittee continued to discuss goals, topics, and structure for its Spring 2023 workshop on April 18, 2023. The Subcommittee also discussed CoLAP’s Well-Being Pledge Recommitment Forms, guides for Pledge signatories, a potential event offering CLE credit, assignments for ABA Communities page submissions, and other communication platforms.
On March 16, 2023, the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Subcommittee met to discuss how affinity groups could connect with LAPs and ways in which LAPs could be made more attractive to attorneys in diverse communities. The group also discussed submitting an RFP for the 2023 National CoLAP Conference and a possible event offering CLE credit.
On March 20, 2023, the Law School Subcommittee held its bi-weekly meeting. The group discussed potential updates to the ABA model rule on Conditional Admission to the bar to submit for the ABA 2023 Annual or 2024 Midyear Meeting. Likewise, the group briefly discussed updates around Character & Fitness questions in different states and law school mental health education. The Subcommittee is also considering a potential event offering CLE credit.
Earlier this year, the Commission received a request for evaluation of a jurisdiction’s LAP program and is in discussion on next steps relating to its LAP Evaluations Subcommittee. Additional CoLAP Subcommittees for Judicial Assistance & Research, Monitoring LAPs, & Policy continued to make plans to discuss work goals and schedules. CoLAP’s Chair also plans to meet with the Chair of the Standing Committee on Paralegals to discuss potential areas for collaboration. CoLAP members continued to work on special projects and initiatives on model rules.
February
On February 4, 2023, the Commission on Lawyer Assistance Programs (CoLAP) held its monthly virtual meeting at the ABA Midyear Meeting where it discussed administrative, programming, and website updates from the Commission and its subcommittees. The Commission’s next monthly meeting for members will be virtual and held on March 2, 2023.
Last Fall, CoLAP’s Chair also made Subcommittee appointments to tackle initiatives for the 2022-2023 bar year. Per these initiatives, the Subcommittees met and planned as below:
On February 7, 2023, the Well-Being Pledge Subcommittee held its bi-weekly meeting. The Subcommittee continued to discuss goals, topics, and structure for its Spring 2023 workshop, currently scheduled for April 18, 2023. The Subcommittee also discussed updates to CoLAP’s Well-Being Pledge website and assignments for submissions to its ABA Communities page.
On February 13, 2023, the Law School Subcommittee held its bi-weekly meeting where it continued discussing Conditional Admission to the bar, Character & Fitness, law school mental health education, and submitting a proposal for CoLAP’s 2023 National Conference. The Subcommittee considered language from model rules in different states and potential updates related to the 2009 ABA model rule.
On February 16, 2023, the 2023 National Conference Planning & Awards Committee met to discuss potential titles, topics, and next steps for CoLAP’s 2023 National Conference in Springfield, MA.
Earlier this year, the Commission received a request for evaluation of a jurisdiction’s LAP program and is in discussion on next steps relating to its LAP Evaluations Subcommittee. Likewise, the Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion Subcommittee leadership as well as other Commission members discussed goals to assess how affinity groups could connect with LAPs and ways in which LAPs could be made more attractive to attorneys in diverse communities.
Additional CoLAP Subcommittees for Judicial Assistance & Research, Monitoring LAPs, & Policy continued to make plans to discuss work goals and schedules. CoLAP members also continued to work on special projects and initiatives on model rules.
January
On January 5, 2023, the Commission on Lawyer Assistance Programs (CoLAP) held its monthly virtual meeting where it discussed administrative, programming, and website updates from the Commission and its subcommittees. The Commission’s next monthly meeting will be a hybrid meeting on February 4, 2023, during the ABA Midyear Meeting where members can attend in-person or virtually.
Last Fall, CoLAP’s Chair also made Subcommittee appointments to tackle initiatives for the 2022-2023 bar year. Per these initiatives, the Subcommittees met and planned as below:
On January 9, 2023, the Law School Subcommittee held its bi-weekly meeting where it discussed Conditional Admission to the bar. The Subcommittee considered language from model rules in different states and potential updates relating to the 2009 ABA model rule.
On January 10, 2023, the Well-Being Pledge Sub-committee held its bi-weekly meeting. There, members debriefed on the Subcommittee’s 2nd Annual Fall Well-Being Workshop open to all Pledge Signatories held virtually on December 8, 2022. The workshop included a welcome message from CoLAP’s Chair, Tish Vincent, and Chair of the Well-Being Subcommittee, Natt Gantt, with approximately 150 attendees from organizations that have signed on to the Well-Being Pledge. Subcommittee members that facilitated and attended the workshop provided feedback on its presentations and breakouts, including on topics relating to the nexus between well-being and diversity, equity, & inclusion, maintaining enthusiasm for well-being during challenging economic times, and hybrid work. The Subcommittee used this feedback in discussing goals, topics, and structure for its Spring 2023 event.
On January 18, 2023, the 2023 National Conference Planning & Awards Committee met to discuss appointment of the Subcommittee’s Chair and next steps for CoLAP’s 2023 National Conference in Springfield, MA.
The additional CoLAP subcommittees of Judicial Assistance & Research, LAP Monitoring/LAP Evaluations, Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion, & Policy plan to meet next month to determine their work schedule. CoLAP members also continued to work on other special projects and initiatives relating to model rules.