Official Government Website
The mission of the Idaho Lawyers Assistance Program (LAP) is to provide support for lawyers who are experiencing problems associated with substance abuse and/or mental health issues in a safe manner, preserving the reputation and trust of the attorney. All information is 100% confidential and will not be reported to the Idaho State Bar.
The program also focuses on educating legal professionals and their family and friends about the causes, effects, and treatment of alcohol and drug dependency, depression, and other mental health problems. Judges and attorneys volunteer their time to assist lawyers who suffer from these issues through the appropriate resources.
Reach the 24-Hour Hotline by dialing 866-460-9014. When calling this 24/7 confidential phone line, you will receive…
- Guidance for lawyers in need of assistance or referral sources
- Information relating to alcohol/drug education, mental health treatment, interventions, monitoring, and/or family support
- Guidance for re-entering the workplace
- Assistance in finding lawyers who volunteer time as a temporary replacement for those lawyers entering a treatment program
- Recommendations for appropriate treatment centers
Who to Call
For assistance or to make a referral, please contact:
Southworth Associates
5530 W. Emerald
Boise, ID 83706
Ben Seymour, CADC, Program Coordinator
(208) 949-0363
(866) 460-9014 – 24-Hour Hotline
ben@southworthassociates.net
Alcoholism, drug addiction, and mental health problems are treatable illnesses that affect a great number of professionals, including lawyers and judges. A 2016 study by the American Bar Association Commission on Lawyers Assistance Programs and Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation found alcohol use disorders and mental health problems are occurring in the legal profession at higher rates than in other professions and the general public. Since many lawyers and judges tend to be overachievers who carry an enormous workload, the inclination to “escape” through the use of drugs and alcohol is prevalent in the legal community. These daily pressures can lead to inordinate amounts of stress and mental illness. National reports have shown that a majority of disciplinary problems involve chemical dependency or emotional stress. The effects can be devastating – both to the individual and to those around them. Fortunately, there is help.
You are not alone – if you are concerned about …
- Your own use of alcohol or other drugs
- The use of alcohol or drugs by a partner or associate
- A fellow attorney or judge who you see is affected by the use of alcohol or other drugs
- You or a fellow attorney’s inability to handle matters due to depression or other forms of mental illness
… Contact the LAP for assistance.
Idaho State Bar CLE Programs
- Attorney Well-Being: ISB Survey Results, Resources, and Next Steps – FREE CLE – 1.0 CLE credits of which 0.25 it Ethics
- Lawyer Well-Being: What’s It Got to Do with Me? – 1.5 CLE credits
- Well-Being and Trauma Responsive Workplaces – FREE CLE – 1.0 Ethics credits
American Bar Association Audio Webinar
- American Bar Association Audio Webinar: I’ve Got Your Back; You’ve Got My Ear: Suicide Prevention in the Legal Profession – Program Recording | Material
ABA Commission on Lawyer Assistance Programs – Resources
ABA CLE Program
Model Law Firm Impairment Policy
Additional Articles & Informational Resources
- Suicide Prevention Resources
- Stress, drink, leave: An examination of gender-specific risk factors for mental health problems and attrition among licensed attorneys
- Is there a Substance Dependent or Drug Addicted Lawyer in Life? And What to Do if There Is.
- December 2017 Wyoming Lawyer open letter from the President of the WY Bar – “The Conversation I Wish I Had”
- How Lawyers Can Avoid Burnout and Debilitating Anxiety
- Lawyers with Depression Website
- What Does It Mean to Have a Serious Drinking Problem? – NY Times Jan. 31, 2020
- The Wellness Issue – Journal of the Delaware State Bar Association
- Suicide Loss Survivors Assistance
- Coping After Suicide Loss
Well-Being Resources
- Attorney Wellness is the New Normal
- Normalizing Wellness in the Workplace: A Conversation with Judge Catherine M. Salinas
- Nearly two-thirds of lawyers have experienced burnout, research shows.
- About Barrister Mental Health and Wellbeing
- Time Magazine articles on Mental Health in the Workplace
- Mental Health Resources for the Legal Profession During COVID-19
- What Lawyers Can Learn from Simone Biles
Podcasts
- The Resilient Lawyer
- Attorney Mental Health and Wellness
- Loving Life as a Lawyer: How to Maintain Joy in Your Work
- The Gen Why Lawyer Podcast on Mental Health
- Voices of Recovery Series
- The Psychology Podcast: How to Be a Happy Lawyer
- ABA Asked and Answered: How Lawyers Can Bring Mindfulness Into Their Practice
**The above programming is intended for educational purposes only and does not meet mandatory continuing legal education requirements in Idaho. You will not receive CLE credit for viewing/listening.
None at this time.
“Unbar” Group of Alcoholics Anonymous
The “Unbar” group of Alcoholics Anonymous from the Washington State is welcoming members of the Idaho State Bar to join their community. This community offers support for attorneys, law students, paralegals, and legal professionals seeking recovery from alcohol addiction. The Unbar is an Alcoholics Anonymous group that meets every Wednesday afternoon from 1:15-2:30 pm Mountain Time via Zoom.
The Unbar has been around for decades and was founded by a group of attorneys who found that alcohol was their common problem. The only requirement for membership is a desire to stop drinking. The Unbar is not affiliated with the Washington State Bar, the Idaho State Bar or any other organization apart from Alcoholics Anonymous.
The Unbar jealously guards members’ anonymity so that they can freely meet and discuss their recovery. Over the last several decades, hundreds of attorneys from large firms to solo practitioners to in-house counsel have participated in Unbar meetings and have gone on to the successful and sober practice of law serving their clients and community.
The Unbar is an Alcoholics Anonymous 12-step program and is not a treatment program or medical resource, although it cooperates with such groups. Unbar does not report to treatment programs or employers, although on the request of a member the group secretary will sign attendance slips to show attendance at weekly meetings. Although the group originated in Seattle, it is now a statewide Zoom meeting and is welcoming Idaho attorneys, law students, paralegals and other legal professionals.
If you or someone you know in the legal community is suffering from alcohol abuse interesting in attending the Unbar Group, please email: unbarwa@gmail.com. Due to privacy concerns, we do not list our meeting credentials publicly. Your email will be replied to and meeting credentials will be sent to the email address that you supply.
If you have questions, please feel free to contact Mack Mayo at mack.mayo@painehamblen.com.
Law school can be stressful time for students and anxiety can be intense. The Idaho State Bar Lawyers Assistance Program Committee invites any law student to meet with its members one-on-one virtually to discuss any topic. The sessions are free and confidential and as anonymous as the student wishes. Members of the LAP are available as follows:
Weekly Through May 17, 2023
Wednesdays (MT)
12:00 pm – 2:00 pm
When you connect to Zoom you will be in a waiting room so that confidentiality can be maintained. Please be patient and you will be admitted as soon as possible.
Topic: LAP Law Student Chat Sessions
Meeting ID: 830 5879 2484
Passcode: 936871
For Audio Dial (253) 215-8728
LAP Committee Members
Jamie C. Shropshire, Chair, Boise
Phone: (208) 305-2344
Clint R. Bolinder, Boise
Phone: (208) 388-1200
Ronald D. Christian, Caldwell
Phone: (208) 571-2149
Yvonne A. Dunbar, Boise
Phone: (208) 344-5800
Jeremiah M. Hudson, Boise
Phone: (208) 345-7000
Matthew L. Kinghorn, Pocatello
Phone: (208) 478-2046
Dylan B. Lawrence, Boise
Phone: (208) 907-1529
Susan D. Powell Mauk, Boise
Phone: (208) 344-5457
Mack Mayo, Spokane, WA
Phone: (509) 638-3721
Hon. Victoria A. Olds, Nez Perce
Phone: (208) 937-2251
Andrea P. Patterson, Boise
Phone: (208) 947-7437
Hon. Gene A. Petty, Caldwell
Phone: (208) 454-7371
Julie Stomper, Idaho Falls
Phone: (208) 557-5211
Thomas M. Vasseur, Coeur d’Alene
Phone: (208) 664-4457
Cell: (208) 819-1100
Courtnay Lewis, Moscow
Cell: –
Law Student