A growing number of attorneys and judges who have struggled with mental illness and substance abuse are speaking out about their battles. In doing so, they are challenging misconceptions while promoting services such as the Illinois Lawyers' Assistance Program (LAP). The 2016 American Bar Association Hazelden Betty Ford Study on lawyer impairment mapped out the extent of the problem. The survey of 12,825 attorneys showed that 20.6 percent screened positive for alcoholism, 28 percent for depression, 19 percent for anxiety, and 23 percent for stress—all at higher rates than other professions.

For its December cover story, the Illinois Bar Journal spoke with several attorneys and judges who have wrestled with drug abuse and mental illness, but also sought assistance and treatment. While recovery is not easy, all say they are glad for taking that first step: Asking for help.

By Wendy Hinton Vaughn

November is the time of year when we take time to reflect and give thanks for all the things for which we are grateful.  I am grateful for the innovative programs of the 17th Judicial Circuit’s Domestic Violence Coordinated Courts (DVCC) and wish to shine a light on the great work done by the Domestic Violence Pro Bono Order of Protection Project.

Asked and Answered 

By John W. Olmstead, MBA, Ph.D, CMC

Q. I am the owner of a four-attorney estate planning firm in Charleston, West Virginia. I spend the majority of my time managing and developing the business, and very little time servicing clients. This has been intentional as I enjoy the business aspects of the practice more than providing legal services. I conduct comprehensive written and face-to-face performance reviews with my associates annually and in real time as needed. While the performance reviews include a performance rating category for client satisfaction, I have no real way of determining client satisfaction. Do you have any thoughts on how to measure this?

The Illinois Health Care Services Lien Act can complicate situations that involve injured patients, their insurance policies, hospital bills, and settlements. In November’s Illinois Bar Journal, Belleville attorney Daniel C. Katzman, who practices in the areas of personal injury, wrongful death, and medical/nursing home malpractice, provides an analysis of common scenarios involving the Lien Act and strategies for attorneys to pursue their injured client’s best interests.

For example, the Lien Act does not require health-care providers to bill health-insurance companies. But providers may do so through a contract known as a provider agreement. The terms of provider agreements are negotiated by the parties and can vary on a case-to-case basis. In a provider agreement, a health-care provider agrees to accept full payment from a health-insurance company for any covered service rendered to the company's insured. While the provider may receive pennies on the dollar in reimbursement, provider agreements benefit both parties in the form of reduced rates in exchange for increased patient volume. When evaluating a health-care provider's obligations, an attorney should examine the provider agreement to determine whether a health-care provider is required to bill the health-insurance company.

Immigration continues to be at the forefront of the Trump Administration’s agenda, with many updates on executive actions, legislation, and caselaw. Join us on Dec. 6 for this online seminar that examines the ongoing issues and changes, as well as their impact on the immigration environment.

The Illinois Supreme Court announced the filing of lawyer disciplinary orders on November 15, 2018. Sanctions were imposed because the lawyers engaged in professional misconduct by violating state ethics law.

The Illinois State Bar Association is inviting members to submit articles for publication in the Illinois Bar Journal (IBJ), our award-winning monthly publication that is sent to 28,000 attorneys throughout the state.

When you become an author for the IBJ, you not only establish yourself as an authoritative subject matter expert, but you can also claim CLE credit for your work.

Chief Justice Lloyd A. Karmeier and the Illinois Supreme Court announced today the appointments of Illinois judges to the newly formed Supreme Court Committee on Juvenile Courts.

The Supreme Court Committee on Juvenile Courts is tasked with reviewing and making recommendations on matters affecting juvenile law and juvenile courts, including child protection and delinquency systems. The committee will review, analyze, and examine the impact of legislation and caselaw as it relates to juvenile law and procedures and any aspect of the juvenile court process.

Back by popular demand, you won’t want to miss this opportunity to listen as Michele Stuart, a nationally renowned speaker, show you how to gather intelligence for free during your next online investigation during this Dec. 6 seminar in Chicago.

Learn how to use open sources and social media to identify actionable intelligence, personal identifiers, and the physical location of individuals, as well as how to pull information from social media in ways that far exceed normal search methods.