Berks Barrister Winter 2018 - 16

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been concerned about her and helped nudge her to treatment,
especially in view of a recent overdose. She has had a boyfriend
since law school who brought his own heroin addiction into
her life.
As part of pre-entry conversations, we were able to assist
Sarah in obtaining help to cover her professional obligations
while she was gone, something she believed was impossible
given her solo practice. During treatment, she was permitted
limited use of the phone and computer (not to actually practice
law daily) to check in and also be notified of any problems.
We also focused on her addiction and the impact of trying
to practice alone (isolation is a common breeding ground for
addiction), and she began to consider other means and venues
for practicing which may not be as stressful or overwhelming
to a new lawyer.
Upon release, Sarah followed our recommendations and
moved to a sober house for other female professionals, in part
to relate to peers and in part to disentangle from her boyfriend.
She chose to close her firm and wrapped matters up with the
support of her sober community and legal counsel suggested
by our team. At the same time, she prepared a new resume
and contacted others - including a headhunter - in order
to change the nature and stress level of her practice. She was
referred to her state LAP in order to utilize their services and
also agreed to a random drug monitoring program in order
to provide accountability to herself and her parents. Other
support was put into place by Caron, including contact with an
attorney alumnus as well as a therapist to see weekly.
2.Stan is a 48-year-old alcoholic whose drink of choice was
vodka. He is a partner in a 16-lawyer personal injury firm and
the most productive income-producer. He was going through
a difficult divorce. He had one daughter, a 19-year-old who
was pushing him to go to treatment for his increasingly erratic
and dangerous behavior when intoxicated. Stan, by his own
words, was "burnt-out" and no longer liked practicing law or
putting in the 75+ hours per week which he had for over 20
years. His only pleasures in life were his daughter and playing
sax on weekends with a jazz band.
During my pre-entry call with Stan he resisted coming
to residential treatment, but we discussed his professional
obligations and he realized he had only one trial pending
(which he could postpone) and no other trials for another 90
days. He informed his partners, who were relieved he was
doing so and were happy to cover his matters while he was
gone. During treatment, he acknowledged that his addiction
had spilled over into drinking during the day and that it was
closely aligned with his increasing dissatisfaction with his
career.
When he left treatment, he followed recommendations to
live in a sober house for professional men while easing slowly
back into practice (three mornings a week, then three days a
week) while building a recovery program. He also created a
new resume and obtained counsel to help him with an orderly
exit from his firm. At the same time, he began to explore
16 | Berks Barrister

other means by which he could utilize his legal experience
without working the same hours or trying cases (including
using a recommended coach specializing in helping lawyers
in transition). We also referred him to his state LAP and
connected him with legal alumni in his area - as well as
providing a means to voluntarily participate in an alcoholtesting program to create accountability.
3.Sheila is a 56-year-old Federal Judge referred by her
fellow judges. We had discussions with her Chief Judge
prior to admission and outlined the program as well as our
confidentiality protocol. Her fellow judges executed a "soft"
intervention and convinced her to commit to residential
treatment. She denied she had a problem, but admitted that
her nightly drinking had increased since the death of her
husband 11 months ago.
During treatment, we focused on the new isolation Sheila
faced at home, but also the isolation inherent in serving as
a judge. Having treated several judges over the years, the
common theme and professional issue with them is their
isolation and loneliness. Often, they have come to the
bench from the practice of law, where they experienced the
daily professional camaraderie of peers, as well as the social
interaction which accompanies practice. As a judge, they are
often removed from this social environment, and routinely not
permitted to have conversations ex parte (by themselves) with
attorneys. Sheila loved being a judge and wanted to continue,
but isolation had disrupted the natural balance of her life and
she began to abuse alcohol to fill the void.
As a result of these conversations and group sessions, she
knew that isolation was her natural enemy to creating a sober
and robust life. We connected her to a therapist, a recovery
coach, and two legal alumni in the area to help support
her recovery. She agreed to write out and adhere to a daily
schedule which would include more social lunches with peers,
an intense recovery program, a grief group of other widowed
individuals, and additional activities she had abandoned over
the past year (such as golf, the symphony, playing piano).
Sheila also agreed to alcohol monitoring which would make
her directly accountable to her Chief Judge.
Conclusion
Our profession is on the brink of a substance abuse crisis.
This article has only described one resource in the battle we must
mount. It is my hope that our profession will further address these
issues through education and a change in professional culture.
Link Christin, JD, MA, LADC, is the
Executive Director for the Legal
Professionals Program at Caron
Treatment Centers, who will be a
Presenting Sponsor of the 2018
Bench-Bar Conference.

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Berks Barrister Winter 2018

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