Jeff Salling, e-discovery counsel and director of business development at Complete Discovery Source, discusses how the ISBA Lawyer-to-Lawyer Mentoring Program helped bridge the gap between law school and the practice of law.
It is well known that law is a stressful career path. What isn't as well known is that a significant number of attorneys suffer from addiction and other mental health issues.
There has been surprisingly little research done on this topic. In 2016, the Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation and the American Bar Association Commission on Lawyer Assistance Programs conducted a study of addiction and mental health issues in the legal community (http://bit.ly/2fvjAFS). The study, available at http://bit.ly/1V72V50, indicates a large-scale problem. Recently, a lively thread on the ISBA's litigation discussion group was kicked off with a link to a widely read New York Times article about an addicted lawyer's death and what the author describes as a "web of drug abuse" in the legal profession (http://nyti.ms/2v3K4kW).
So how big of a problem does the profession have? The ABA/Betty Ford study surveyed 12,825 licensed, employed attorneys. Those attorneys completed surveys where they self-assessed their alcohol use, drug use, and symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress. A whopping 20.6 percent of lawyers screened positive for potentially alcohol-dependent drinking. The study also showed high levels of depression (28 percent), anxiety (19 percent), and stress (23 percent). Find out more in the September Illinois Bar Journal.
Asked and Answered
By John W. Olmstead, MBA, Ph.D, CMC
Q. I am a newly-elected managing partner of a 14-lawyer firm in San Diego. Although I was elected to this position, I feel disadvantaged because I don’t have a financial background. What metrics/measurements should I be looking at?
As legal consumers conduct more and more business on-the-go, a mobile application that can meet these modern needs of attorneys, their staff, and consumers is a necessity.
Rocket Matter, an online legal practice management software provider, today launched redesigned mobile application that includes powerful collaboration tools to boost profits and increase efficiency. Communicator, a secure messaging tool, allows legal professionals to collaborate on cases from within their practice management software.
The Hon. Richard Posner retired from the 7th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals in Chicago on Saturday, September 2. His decision to step down from the bench after 36 years was announced late last Friday. Now 78, Posner was appointed to the court by President Ronald Regan in 1981 and served as its chief judge from 1993 to 2000.
Posner is well-known in the legal community as a prolific writer on and off of the bench. During his career, he wrote more than 3,300 opinions, as well as dozens of books and articles spanning many legal topics. He is one of the most widely cited appellate judges in the United States.
Cyberattacks are a very real threat in our modern world – and nobody is immune to being a target! Join us via the Internet on September 28, 2017 for a better understanding of (and appreciation for) the cybersecurity issues that threaten your clients every single day and how you can protect them. Attorneys with basic to intermediate practice experience who attend this online seminar will learn: the types of cyber threats that may impact your client; how cyber threats arise; how to use cyber insurance to mitigate against potential exposures; what is covered by cyber insurance policies; the legal and ethical obligations you and your client have regarding the safeguarding of electronically-stored information; and how to address a cyberattack if it occurs.
The program is presented by the ISBA Insurance Law Section and qualifies for 2.25 hours MCLE credit, including 0.75 hour Professional Responsibility MCLE credit (subject to approval).
Click here for more information and to register.
In this Order on the ARDC’s Motion for Summary Judgment, Ms. Akinlemibola was found guilty of contempt of court for engaging in the unauthorized practice of law, including by holding herself out to the public via a website that she was authorized to provide legal services. Ms. Akinlemibola was ordered to pay $5,000 to the Illinois Equal Justice Foundation. ARDC v. Grace Akinlemibola, Cook County No. 17 MC1-600006 (August 31, 2017).
Mark your calendars for September 21! The members of the State & Local Taxation (SALT) Section and the Young Lawyers Division (YLD) Section will be hosting a new member happy hour from 6-8 p.m. at The Godfrey Hotel's IO Rooftop Lounge in Chicago. This event, sponsored by SALT, is a great opportunity to socialize and network with your colleagues over refreshments and food.
Registration includes two drink tickets and appetizers. The event is complimentary, but due to limited space, registration is encouraged.
Click here to register now, and please contact Kimi Jalali with any additional questions.
In the August Illinois Bar Journal, ISBA Director of Legislative Affairs Jim Covington summarizes legislation of particular interest to lawyers. In the weeks since the article first appeared, most of the bills described there have been acted on by Governor Rauner. Which did he sign? Which did he veto? Read the updated version, which includes links to the public acts and veto statements.
ISBA attended Chicago-Kent College of Law's student organization fair yesterday, August 29, to speak with current law students about the benefits of membership. Law students can become student members of ISBA for free for up to four years of law school, which includes access to Fastcase, E-Clips, the Illinois Bar Journal, and more.
With law schools ramping up for the fall semester, ISBA will be visiting other Chicago-area law schools in the upcoming weeks.