Stories of addiction are becoming entirely too common in the legal profession. Young attorneys are hand picked for their impressive academic resumes and are groomed to become law partners, but the stress and pace of the legal world soon get on top of them, and they turn to substance abuse in a desperate attempt to escape the pressures and expectations of their careers.

Substance abuse is the most common addiction found in the legal profession, far exceeding that of the general population. A vast majority of malpractice lawsuits are brought on by claims of substance abuse, creating credibility problems for lawyers. Firms that do not address addiction problems are more likely to be sued for malpractice, which indicates that cases of addiction are the firm’s problem, as well as the attorney’s.

In the past, it was common for law firms to be un-involved in their attorney’s addiction problems, but the ethic has changed in recent years. It is becoming the obligation of firm members to ensure that all attorneys within the firm are upholding a high ethical standard in practicing law. If an attorney within the firm is making decisions that endanger the firm’s reputation and have the potential to hurt the client’s interests, such as indulging in a substance abuse problem, it is the responsibility of the other firm members to hold them accountable for their conduct.

This ethic can often be found formally in the law firm’s code book, detailing what behavior will and will not be tolerated. It is often made clear to attorneys joining the firm that any choices they make in their personal life that negatively affect their professional performance will not be tolerated. Another ethic of the legal profession is to offer rehabilitation assistance and education on addiction rather than punishment.

With the right approach to addiction on the part of the law firm, the attorney in question can receive quality addiction treatment and return to practicing law, sparing their personal and professional life from ruin as well as restoring an asset to the law firm.