Sept. 4, 2024 – Seeking a way to help your colleagues and your profession? Serving as a WisLAP Volunteer Monitor is a way to help a colleague in need of assistance. The program is currently accepting applications from lawyers interested in making a commitment to this special role. With training taking place on Oct. 11, now is the time to apply.
Here’s more information and how to apply.
About WisLAP
The State Bar of Wisconsin Lawyers Assistance Program (WisLAP) offers confidential support, consultations, and education related to mental health and wellness for lawyers. WisLAP aims to develop a culture within the Wisconsin legal community that fosters work-life balance and destigmatizes mental illness and substance use disorders.
WisLAP services are free as a benefit of your State Bar membership and available to everyone in the legal community.
Learn more about WisLAP.
What Do WisLAP Volunteer Monitors Do?
In addition to providing general mental health and wellness consultation, coaching, support and education to Wisconsin lawyers, WisLAP supports lawyers who enter the profession with conditional admission status through the Board of Bar Examiners or who enter a supportive diversion agreement with the Office of Lawyer Regulation.
WisLAP matches monitoring program participants with lawyer volunteers trained to support and guide their colleagues. Volunteer Monitors are vital because they understand the experience of law school and the professional roles of lawyers and judges.
While WisLAP staff offers mental health support from trained clinicians, our volunteer monitors act as an additional layer of support by offering mentorship, advice, and resources from the perspective of a colleague.
Volunteer monitors meet with their program participant monthly for 30-60 minutes in a forum that works for both parties. Volunteer monitors must be prepared and willing to commit to at least a three-year timeframe so they can be paired with participants for the entirety of their time in the monitoring program, which typically spans from one to three years. Over the course of their volunteer commitment, monitors will provide regular updates on the lawyer they are supporting to the WisLAP staff.
About Volunteer Monitor Training
In October, WisLAP will hold a training for lawyers interested in serving their colleagues as supportive volunteer monitors.
The training offers an overview of WisLAP and its role in supporting lawyers who are in monitoring. Volunteers will learn about the experience of being in monitoring and how to help colleagues navigate monitoring in ways that promote their personal growth and career success. Volunteers will also learn how to assist people experiencing anxiety, stress, discouragement, substance use difficulties, and despair.
The training is highly interactive and allow participants to practice responding to colleagues (and others) facing challenging situations, overwhelming feelings, and discouraging interpretations.
Seats for this training are limited, so apply for your spot today.
Here’s more information and how to apply.
WisLAP Needs Volunteers in Other Roles
Looking for other ways to volunteer with WisLAP? We need you! Volunteers are needed in a variety of capacities, including as writers, conference hospitality room hosts, and in a range of other capacities. For more information, contact
Cara Lamusga, WisLAP member coordinator.
WisLAP Volunteer Monitor Training
When: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Friday, Oct. 11, 2024
Where: State Bar Center, Madison
How to apply:
Submit this application by midnight on Sept. 16, 2024. Seats are limited. Applicants will be notified by Sept. 20 of the status of their application.
This article was originally published in the
The Lawyer's Journey blog of the State Bar of Wisconsin
Lawyers Assistance Program (WisLAP). WisLAP offers confidential support, consultations, and education related to mental health and wellness for lawyers.
