Illinois (IL) Mental Health Sub. Abuse CLE Course Catalog

As the lines have gone from blurry to nonexistent, lawyers and legal teams everywhere are struggling with when to ‘end’ the workday before a new one begins. An already long overdue concern for lawyers, finding appropriate work/life balance amid a global pandemic requires legal teams to think more creatively about how they are helping lawyers reduce stress and maintain a sustainable pace that will not lead to fatigue, burn out, or more serious mental health concerns. Thanks to the recent pandemic however, a silver lining has emerged: there is a new light and focus on what firms can do to boost morale, keep mental health front-and-center, and make work/life balance a reality, instead of a hopeful, yet distant dream.

A number of Important dialogues in recent years have addressed lawyers struggling with mental health issues and drug/alcohol problems. But what happens when it's the debtors and creditors who have these issues, such as small equity-holders and former employees of chapter 11 debtors? This roundtable discussion will focus on the issues the industry sees on a daily basis — mostly in the consumer context, but not always.

The program covers how to best respond when lawyers and judges are impaired and unfit to practice.

As attorneys, chronic stress is often a part of our job. If we do not effectively manage chronic stress, however, it has the potential to cripple our productivity levels. Chronic stress can also make it physically, mentally, and emotionally impossible to advocate for our clients and communicate with them effectively and competently.

This program will define the stigma around substance use and mental health disorders, explain the reasons why stigma is so pervasive in the legal profession, and why it is critical to overcome these beliefs and identify effective means to ameliorate stigma and replace its effects with affirming attitudes for recovery. It will focus on several different "life stages" of an attorney (law students, career practitioners, and judges), and how stigma affects each group and identify practical and applicable ways to conquer stigma in the legal community.

Verna Myers said "Diversity is being invited to the party; Inclusivity is being asked to dance". The discussion around diversity is one that has been ongoing for a number of years now, but recent studies show that this push for diversity targets simply isn't enough. To truly make the breakthrough for diversity, and to reap the benefits diversity brings, it is time to shift the focus of our discussions to inclusivity. Inclusion: what does it mean in practice and what strategies can you deploy to create an inclusive and collaborative culture? How can you create inclusive environments through remote working? Unlocking the opportunities to improve diversity Supporting your team during these times: Effective strategies to support your teams mental health and creating a culture of 'togetherness'

With remote working on the rise and its impact on mental health, this will become ever more important. It is important for us to see this as a way to pave opportunities for females, minorities and those with disabilities to gain more senior roles in the future, but we must also be wary of the challenges remote working will also bring to our mental health if inclusivity is not considered.

Global pandemics like COVID-19 put into stark relief the extraordinary stressors that you, your firm's employee and your clients are under. How do you recognize the signs and symptoms of behavioral health disorders that can be adversely affected by the current situation? And do you have the strategies to address these? Making sure you do is part of the ethical responsibility you owe your client(s).

This panel will be led by a senior program analyst for the Law Assistance Program for the State Bar of California and will be an interactive discussion about how prevalent substance use and mental health issues are among attorneys, and how substance use and mental health issues impair an attorney’s ability to perform legal services competently.