Law School Home
Law School Outreach & Assistance
Members of the NYLAT Law School Assistance Committee made a presentation to Law School student services professionals on April 24 at Pace University Law School in White Plains.
Pictured [L-R] Steve Kipnis, NYS OASAS Medical Director; Eileen Travis, NYC Bar LAP Director; Tomas Gonzalez, Syracuse Law Senior Assistant Dean; Patricia Spataro, NYSBA LAP Director; Barbara Smith, LAT Director; Marjorie Silver, Touro Law Professor and Committee Chair. At the program, a new Model Alcohol and Substance Abuse Policy was discussed, along with an overview of medical issues, and resources available through the lawyer assistance programs and the Trust.
Substance abuse and mental health issues in law schools have an impact on student retention, achievement and, ultimately, on bar admission. These concerns affect the future of the profession.
A 2006 survey by the ABA Standing Committee on Professionalism of law school professionalism programs showed that:
-- 95% of responding schools indicated that they or their parent university have a program of assistance available for law students who may be dealing with substance abuse or mental health issues;
-- 65% of these schools have access to the state bar’s lawyer assistance program;
-- However, 50% reported that 25 or fewer students use the program in a year;
-- 77.5% of the schools reported that students who participate in the program are counseled about implications for bar admission. [Report on a Survey of Law School Professionalism Programs, conducted by the ABA Standing Committee on Professionalism, March 2006, page 1. For the full text of the report see, Professionalism Report
”It appears that schools are not taking full advantage of help from lawyer assistance programs, but the committee does not know whether this is caused by a lack of access to those programs or by the school’s reluctance for some reason to work with these programs.”
The ABA Standing Committee encourages those schools that do not have a program of assistance, to start one and disseminate information at first-year orientation.
We at the Lawyer Assistance Trust [NYLAT] and the Lawyer Assistance Programs [LAPs] of New York State partner with law schools to insure that all law students receive information about addiction, mental health, and other quality of life issues and resources available to help them deal with such problems. Examples include:
(1) Student Representatives
For several years LAT has advocated that each law school name a student LAP representative, who would serve as the point person on campus for those law students who would rather turn to peers for initial advice. In the years since we have promoted this project, three schools have utilized student LAP representatives.
The LAT and the New York State and New York City Lawyer Assistance Programs have worked to create a "Student LAP Representative" program on each law school campus. The students are volunteers, often in recovery, who serve as a point of contact for law students with alcohol or substance abuse issues, providing information on LAP services available. The LAPs hold training sessions from time to time for the students.
LAP personnel are available to conduct training sessions for student representatives, by region or individually, as needed. Establishing a connection between the student rep and the LAPs will help ensure that students seeking assistance will receive it.
(2) LAP Presentations and Resources
LAP staff members and volunteers have made presentations at law schools. Many law professors include LAP panels in their Professional Responsibility classes. Other schools have LAP representatives speak during orientation sessions. These presentations, which usually include an individual who shares his personal story of recovery, can be very powerful.
The NYLAT sponsored the development of a “Course in a Box,” a core curriculum on the topics of “Substance Abuse, Stress, Mental Health and the Legal Profession.” Designed to facilitate the teaching of these topics in Professional Responsibility/Legal Ethics courses, the Course contains selected readings, videos, and a teacher’s guide that will support one or two hours of instruction on a lawyer’s responsibility for alcohol and substance abuse among himself/herself, clients, and colleagues.
(3) Character and Fitness Brochure; LAP Resources Brochure
NYLAT made available to all law schools copies of a brochure describing how addictions and mental health topics are addressed in the character and fitness process prior to admission to the bar. We encourage schools to post copies on their websites. Similarly, a brand new brochure describes how law students may benefit from accessing LAP services.
(4) Law Student, Faculty Awards
NYLAT sponsors awards for law students and faculty who, through some activity, service or project undertaken during the academic year, made a significant contribution to an understanding of the issues of addictions and mental health issues in the profession.
(5) Model Law School Policy Governing Alcohol and Substance Use
Both the AALS and the ABA have recommended that each law school adopt a policy governing the use of alcohol and other substances. Currently, New York law schools’ policies vary widely. A draft Model Policy is under development, to be discussed at a gathering at Pace University on April 24, 2009..
(6) Mental Health Toolkit
Also of interest is a recent project undertaken by the American Bar Association’s Law Student Division. This project produced a Tool Kit on its Mental Health Initiative, to assist law school administrators in dealing with mental health issues of their students. You may access a copy online at Mental Health Toolkit
The law school conference held in New York City gathered administrators, faculty and bar leaders to discuss how best to address the topic was well received. Remarks and streaming video of presentations are available.