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menu-item-object-page menu-item-461 inline-nav-item" itemprop="name"><a title="Confidentiality" role="menuitem" class="inline-nav-link" href="https://www.nclap.org/confidentiality/" itemprop="url" tabindex="0">Confidentiality</a></li> <li id="menu-item-399" role="none" class="mobile-only menu-item menu-item-type-post_type menu-item-object-page menu-item-399 inline-nav-item" itemprop="name"><a title="Contact" role="menuitem" class="inline-nav-link" href="https://www.nclap.org/contact/" itemprop="url" tabindex="0">Contact</a></li> </ul> </nav> </div> </header> <main class="main"> <section class="hero interior with-image"> <div class="container"> <div class="hero-content"> <h1 class="page-title">Guidance for Law Firms</h1><p>You have invested a lot of time, money, and sweat equity in the ongoing operation and success of your law firm. A great reputation for your firm is based on more than quality work.</p> </div> </div> <div class="hero-image"><img width="2560" height="508" src="https://www.nclap.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/guidance-hero@2x-scaled.webp" class="attachment-full size-full" alt="" loading="eager" decoding="async" fetchpriority="high" srcset="https://www.nclap.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/guidance-hero@2x-scaled.webp 2560w, https://www.nclap.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/guidance-hero@2x-300x60.webp 300w, https://www.nclap.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/guidance-hero@2x-1170x232.webp 1170w, https://www.nclap.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/guidance-hero@2x-768x153.webp 768w" sizes="(max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px" /></div></section> <div class="main-content guidance-for-law-firms clearfix"> <div class="section-components"> <section class="section content-section"> <div class="is-grid content-grid image-right"> <div class="content-grid-column content-flow"> <h2 class="section-title">Impairment Affects the Bottom Line</h2> <div class="content-flow"><p>When an attorney is impaired due to an issue like depression, bipolar disorder or alcohol or drug problems, the law firm begins to suffer the consequences. The costs can be as obscure as lost opportunity costs of clients taking future work to another firm or as concrete as a drop in billable hours and revenue, professional malpractice claims or discipline resulting from ethical violations. Lawyer impairment impacts both work quality and law firm reputation. In short, lawyer impairment affects your firm’s bottom line.</p> </div> </div> <div class="content-grid-media"><img width="768" height="512" src="https://www.nclap.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/guidance-1@2x-768x512.webp" class="attachment-medium_large size-medium_large" alt="" decoding="async" srcset="https://www.nclap.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/guidance-1@2x-768x512.webp 768w, https://www.nclap.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/guidance-1@2x-300x200.webp 300w, https://www.nclap.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/guidance-1@2x.webp 1110w" sizes="(max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px" /></div> </div> </section> <section class="section content-section pad-top-zero"> <div class="is-grid content-grid image-left"> <div class="content-grid-column content-flow"> <h2 class="section-title">Investment in Your Lawyers</h2> <div class="content-flow"><p>And as any good business owner knows, the success of your firm has also depended upon your on-going investment in your lawyers. It is for this reason that most law firms contact the Lawyer Assistance Program. When a law firm’s management team or managing partner becomes aware of an issue of impairment with an attorney within the firm – a long-time friend, a trusted colleague, and a valued member of the team – the almost universal response is to figure out a way to help the attorney and to keep him or her at the firm.</p> </div> </div> <div class="content-grid-media"><img width="768" height="512" src="https://www.nclap.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/guidance-2@2x-768x512.webp" class="attachment-medium_large size-medium_large" alt="" decoding="async" srcset="https://www.nclap.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/guidance-2@2x-768x512.webp 768w, https://www.nclap.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/guidance-2@2x-300x200.webp 300w, https://www.nclap.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/guidance-2@2x.webp 1110w" sizes="(max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px" /></div> </div> </section> <section class="section content-section pad-top-zero"> <div class="is-grid content-grid image-right"> <div class="content-grid-column content-flow"> <h2 class="section-title">A Common Mistake</h2> <div class="content-flow"><p>A mistake many firms make is waiting too long to act after an issue has come to management’s attention. Usually, because the attorney is so well liked and respected, the partners do not want to embarrass the attorney. They hope the issue will resolve itself without a conversation, much less an intervention, which can feel like a confrontation or an accusation. But rarely does the issue go away or resolve itself. It almost always gets worse over time. In fact, by the time partners become aware of a situation, it means the lawyer’s functional impairment is very far advanced. Lawyers are masters of maintaining a professional persona and image, regardless of what is happening behind the scenes. One of the last dominoes to fall is the all-is-well lawyer façade. Law firms should read this sign as it is: a huge red flag that a lawyer is in real trouble.</p> </div> </div> <div class="content-grid-media"><img width="768" height="512" src="https://www.nclap.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/guidance-3@2x-768x512.webp" class="attachment-medium_large size-medium_large" alt="" decoding="async" srcset="https://www.nclap.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/guidance-3@2x-768x512.webp 768w, https://www.nclap.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/guidance-3@2x-300x200.webp 300w, https://www.nclap.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/guidance-3@2x.webp 1110w" sizes="(max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px" /></div> </div> </section> <section class="section content-section pad-top-zero"> <div class="is-grid content-grid image-left"> <div class="content-grid-column content-flow"> <h2 class="section-title">LAP Works with Law Firms</h2> <div class="content-flow"><p>The Lawyer Assistance Program has worked with law firms across the state, from large, multi-national firms, to small, closely-held firms. We educate partners about the nature of the impairment and associated issues and offer guidance about what to expect behaviorally and symptomatically if the impairment is not addressed. Sometimes law firms decide to require an impaired attorney to agree to enter into and comply with a “last clear chance” agreement – providing the attorney an opportunity to get the help he or she needs – as a condition of maintaining employment at the firm. NC LAP guides firms and partners through this process. If the lawyer is willing to accept help, NC LAP assists the lawyer and can put accountability tools in place to assure the law firm the lawyer is continuing to follow clinical recommendations and to address whatever issues he or she needs to address.</p> </div> </div> <div class="content-grid-media"><img width="768" height="512" src="https://www.nclap.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/guidance-4@2x-768x512.webp" class="attachment-medium_large size-medium_large" alt="" decoding="async" loading="lazy" srcset="https://www.nclap.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/guidance-4@2x-768x512.webp 768w, https://www.nclap.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/guidance-4@2x-300x200.webp 300w, https://www.nclap.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/guidance-4@2x.webp 1110w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px" /></div> </div> </section> </div> </div> </main> <footer class="footer"> <section class="section cta-section section-light-alt"> <div class="container text-center"> <h2 class="section-title">Get in Touch</h2> <div class="content-flow"><p>Ready to get started or simply have some questions? Reach out to the LAP Counselor who covers your area. Office hours are M-F (9:00-5:00) and in-person consultations are by appointment only. All communications with LAP staff are strictly confidential.</p> </div> <div class="section-ctas"> <a href="https://www.nclap.org/contact/" class="button" title="Contact Us">Contact Us</a> </div> </div> </section> <section class="section footer-notice"> <div class="container"> <p>If you are having a mental health crisis or having thoughts of harming yourself or others, please call 911 or go to your nearest emergency room.</p> <p>Dial 988 for the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline <a href="https://988lifeline.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">988lifeline.org</a>. 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