Wisconsin Lawyer
Vol. 82, No. 11, November 2009
Lawyers are human and we experience the same physical and emotional challenges as other professionals. These problems can affect our professional and personal lives.
The Wisconsin Lawyers Assistance Program (WisLAP) is a member service of the State Bar of Wisconsin that provides confidential assistance to lawyers, judges, law students, and their families in coping with substance abuse or dependence, mental health challenges such as depression and anxiety, and other stressors that negatively impact the quality of life and the practice of law. The program is designed to help members and their families build on their strengths and to provide support through offering services that promote physical, mental, and emotional health.
WisLAP treats each request for help with the same confidentiality as a lawyer-client relationship. WisLAP is exempt from reporting professional misconduct to the Office of Lawyer Regulation (OLR) or to the Judicial Commission, doesn’t require callers to disclose their identity, and does not keep case records.
Our staff and volunteers help the Bar and its members by:
- Providing advice on coping with mental health and addiction problems.
- Putting you in touch with one of our extensive network of trained volunteer lawyers, even on nights and weekends, when you need to talk to someone who has faced problems like yours.
- Helping you find professional resources and treatment programs in your area or around the country.
- Presenting educational programs on mental health and addiction problems to local bar associations, law firms, judges, and law students.
- Providing information on both traditional and nontraditional recovery programs.
- Helping to arrange for interventions in cases where a lawyer’s problem is so overwhelming that it is interfering with his or her practice and personal life.
Call (800) 543-2625 or (608) 250-6172 for more information and resources, or visit WisLAP online.
WisLAP Educational Programs: To schedule a program for your group or receive more information, contact State Bar WisLAP coordinator Linda Albert at (608) 250-6172, (800) 543-2625, or fax (608) 257-5502.
For more information …
Practicing law is never easy, but managing a career, building a practice, and having a balanced life get even tougher in a down economy. In response, the State Bar of Wisconsin put together a collection of resources to help you during this trying time.
Visit WisBar at www.wisbar.org and choose the shortcut “Down Economy Resources” from the front page. You’ll be directed to a page listing a variety of resources in three topic categories – Law Practice Management, Career Transitions, and Managing Your Stress – to address issues you’re facing.
Wisconsin Lawyer
