Brian S. Quinn, Esquire is a licensed attorney in Pennsylvania who currently serves as the Education and Outreach Coordinator for Lawyers Concerned for Lawyers of Pennsylvania, Inc., a Lawyers Assistance Program established in 1988 for the purpose of helping lawyers, judges and law students recover from alcoholism, drug addiction and mental health disorders. Read More ›
Virtual Isolation: Is Hyperconnectivity Helping or Harming the Legal Professional?
If we stop to think about what we look at most during the day, the answer would probably not be our family or friends, nor our clients or colleagues. The most feasible option would be our mobile phone. Smartphones are now our companions for work, social, leisure and even family life. However, excessive use can lead to problems of dependence, addiction and fear. We find ourselves simultaneously connected and alone. Workers today are "never turned off.” Like our mobile phones, we only go on standby at the end of the day as we crawl into bed, exhausted.
Gradual, incremental increases in responsibilities, duties, pressures, and demands upon lawyers, at home, and at work, combined with long work days and weeks have placed our profession at risk. At some point work may dominate our lives and keep us at a chronically high level of distress, yet we are often unaware that we have lost balance in our lives. Since it doesn’t appear that the “always-on” culture will be switching off any time soon, we need to develop key strategies that can help safeguard our personal life. Recent studies have shown that there has been a dramatic increase in impairment due to alcoholism, addiction and mental health disorders among members of the legal profession. The statistics are compelling and clearly indicate that 1 out of 3 attorneys will likely have a need for substance use or mental health services at some point in their careers. And technology? What role does it play in perpetuating this public health crisis?
Agenda:
- Lawyers Assistance Programs
- The free services that Lawyers Assistance Programs provide to lawyers, judges, their family members, and law students
- The Warning Signs of Impairment & Wellness Strategies for Lawyers and Judges
- The early warning signs of impairment, with special emphasis on stress, anxiety, and trauma
- What is hyperconnectivity?
- The mental health impact of technology in the post-COVID-19 world
- Warning signs of digital device addiction
- Setting boundaries, managing apps, unfollowing the unhealthy, intentionally overcoming biases, and scheduling self-care time
- Barriers to Seeking Help
- A close look at what barriers exist that prevent lawyers and judges from seeking the help they need
- The role that education plays in breaking the stigma and fear associated with addiction and mental illness in the legal profession
- Questions & Answers
Topics covered include:
Competence Issues
Duration of this webinar:
60 minutes
Originally broadcast:
October 27, 2023 11:00 AM PT
Continuing Legal Education (CLE) Credits
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California CLE
Status: Approved
Credits: 1.0 Wellness Competence
Earn Credit Until: October 26, 2025
South Carolina CLE
Status: Approved
Credits: 1.0 Substance Abuse/Mental Health
Difficulty: All Levels
Earn Credit Until: December 31, 2024
North Carolina CLE
Status: Approved
Credits: 1.0 Professional Well-Being
Earn Credit Until: February 28, 2025
Texas CLE
Status: Approved
Credits: 1.0 Legal Ethics/Professional Responsibility
Earn Credit Until: January 31, 2025
This presentation is approved for one hour of Wellness Competence CLE credit in California, one hour of Substance Abuse/Mental Health CLE credit in South Carolina (all levels), and one hour of Professional Well-Being CLE credit in North Carolina. This course has been approved for Minimum Continuing Legal Education credit by the State Bar of Texas Committee on MCLE in the amount of 1.0 credit hours, of which 1.0 credit hours will apply to Legal Ethics/Professional Responsibility credit.
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