We know that you have been bombarded with messages about the Coronavirus over the last few months, whether that be on television, social media, or in your community networks. At uncertain times like this, anxiety, stress, fear, and negative thoughts can easily take control. You may be worried about being in crowds, your loved ones, your seniors, your office, your clients, your finances, or how to manage a quarantine. Moreover, recent studies have shown that there has been a dramatic increase in impairment due to alcoholism, addiction, and mental health disorders among members of the legal profession. The statistics are compelling and clearly indicate that 1 out of 3 attorneys will likely have a need for substance use or mental health services at some point in their careers. Accordingly, unexpected events like those we are facing as a society will have an even greater impact on lawyers and those who work with them.
In light of this unprecedented crisis and it’s far-reaching impact, Mr. Quinn will discuss:
The prevalence rates of impairment in the legal profession due to substance use and mental health issues and early warning signs of impairment in both office and personal settings
Causes and symptoms of depression, stress, and anxiety
The impact of COVID-19 crisis on mental health issues and the role isolation plays
The fear associated with the uncertainty surrounding the future of the legal industry
Well-being strategies to reduce or alleviate these conditions
Ethical dilemmas created by the Coronavirus crisis, including remote supervision of attorneys and staff, record and timekeeping, data security, and confidentiality in the remote office setting.
Why legal professionals are at higher risk to develop mental health and substance use disorders
Challenges and barriers facing legal professionals from seeking help
The free, confidential services provided by Lawyers Assistance Programs to lawyers, their family members, judges, and law students
The role that education plays in breaking the stigma and fear associated with addiction and mental illness in the legal profession
Resources available to both lawyers and support staff with emphasis on COVID-19 issues
Learning Objectives:
Examine the impact of COVID-19 crisis on mental health and substance use issues, and the role isolation plays
Identify and discuss ethical dilemmas created by the Coronavirus crisis
Gain helpful well-being strategies to reduce or alleviate these conditions
Brian S. Quinn, Esquire is a licensed attorney in Pennsylvania who currently serves as the Education and Outreach Coordinator for Lawyers concerned for Lawyers of Pennsylvania, Inc., a Lawyers Assistance program established in 1988 for the purpose of helping lawyers, judges and law students recover from alcoholism, drug addiction and mental health disorders.
Mr. Quinn obtained his undergraduate degree in 1970, his law degree in 1973 and a certificate in Drug and Alcohol counselling in 2012, all from Villanova University. Prior to accepting his position with Lawyers concerned for Lawyers in 2017, Mr. Quinn was engaged in private practice for nearly 40 years, handling a variety of civil and criminal matters.
Mr. Quinn has also worked in the field of Alcohol and Drug Counselling at Mirmont Treatment Center and Malvern Institute in suburban Philadelphia.
Mr. Quinn is a past member of the Board of Directors of Lawyers concerned for Lawyers of Pennsylvania and served as a peer volunteer for over six years prior to accepting his current role as the organization's Educator.
As LCL's Educator, Mr. Quinn has conducted CLE presentations for Bar Associations, private law firms and professional organizations in Pennsylvania, as well as for National CLE providers, on a variety of topics in the fields of Lawyer wellness and impairment in the legal profession.
good course
What a lovely class. Unexpected.
Every solo practitioner or work from home lawyer should take this course. Excellent speaker.
Excellent informative presentation
He was fantastic. I love that he spoke from his own truth. What a brave and caring human- and he’s a lawyer! I really enjoyed this. Thank you for offering it.
I appreciate his passion and commitment.
REALLY FANTASTIC! The presenter did an excellent job. Appreciate his encouragement and candor!
Excellent course and Brian Quinn's presentation was great. His personal connection and advocacy for these important issues and topics made this course have a great impact.
Excellent presenter
The presenter was excellent.
Very helpful and relevant.
I thought this was a really good presentation and greatly appreciated the care and passion of the presenter.
Great program and much needed
Excellent talk. Insightful.
Obviously a very different kind of CLE coyrse but perhaps one of the most important: instructing lawyers on how to care for themselves.
This guy was great.
Good course
wow what a thoughtful and helpful presentation by a generous and decent person!
Really relevant to current events.
excellent
This was great. I have experienced many of the things discussed and recognize that usefulness of suggested actions to help me with stress. Many thanks!
eye opening and powerful session
well-presented and persuasive.
Fantastic webinar.
Best presentation I have seen on Lawline! Outstanding presentation.
Mr. Quinn is a very engaging speaker and I am impressed that he has himself overcome the challenges of the profession.
Fabulous presentation that is perfectly timed for what it is. Thank you to Lawline for providing this in conjunction with LCL of PA for no-cost. God bless you folks.
very good and timely, good to have a class about a current problem like COVID
Very timely.
Helpful. Would like him to teach one next year.
Great real life advice for legal professionals.
Engaging instructor
Excellent speaker and presentation!
Exceptional. Mr. Quinn spoke directly to where I am right now.
As s severe COVID survivor, I am thankful for this course. Also appreciate the personal testimonial of the instructor. Well done, Mr. Quinn
great course and speaker.
Passionate, knowledgeable & empathic speaker on topic, providing concrete examples and practical solutions. BRAVO! Informative powerpoint. The only minus, please have a human being proofread the course transcript, which contained numerous errors of transcription.
Thank you!
Excellent.
very interesting speaker
Thank you! Very helpful.
FANTASTIC CLE.....Presenter was real due to his own experiences.
really excellent!
Excellent presentation and instructor. Very persuasive and empathetic.
Great.
A very engaging speaker.
great course for any lawyer tp take
I really appreciated the authenticity of the presenter.
Excellent. Excellent. Excellent. Highly recommend. This is for any lawyer, any time.
Mr. Quinn is an excellent presenter and his presentation on mental health is the total package. Its accessible, it contains abundant actionable advice/strategies, and its a warm sincere reminder that none of us are alone. Thank you!
This was the best course I have taken related to competence. It gave me some great ideas and motivated me to reach out to others to see how they are doing!
Really well done
That was a very well done and impactful presentation on lawyer mental health. Thank you.
Presenter talked straight from a real world perspective.
Great class
Good course. Thanks
Excellent presenter.
one of the best CLEs I have viewed
Good speaker!
Very helpful indeed. Thank you.
Straight from the heart. Thank you.
I loved this course! This lawyer should teach more CLEs!
Great speaker! And great content! I wish I could have had my kids listen to it too. I think this would help so many during these challenging times.
Excellent Presenter
Given the current pandemic, this is one of the best and most important courses I've had the pleasure of watching. I typically do not comment on these courses -- I'm usually in and out -- but this one is likely worth your while in my opinion and I highly recommend it.
Very good
Very informative.
Thank you! This was a helpful and motivational program!
Wonderful presentation. Thoroughly enjoyed. Well done and thank you for your service to our profession.
Wonderful
Very powerful program. Thank you Mr. Quinn.
This presenter was fantastic!!!
This must be a difficult topic to present at this time. I appreciate Mr. Quinn's enthusiasm.
Very interesting statistics. Great presentation!
Great presentation
Wow. Great presentation. Very very effective message.
Presenter passionate about the subject-matter.
This was really good. I would recommend it to anyone in a stressful profession, not just lawyers
Great presentation. Very thought-provoking, helpful and much needed.
Thanks
Fantastic speaker! Loved that he shared his personal experience. It really helps.Thank you.
This made me want to initiate some conversations with my lawyer friends.
This is an excellent course. I'd say that a 1 hour ethics course on the Mental Health impact of Covid should be a 2021 requirement for CLE.
Very needed. Timely. Genuine. Much appreciated.
Instructor was an excellent speaker.
Speaker is passionate and informative.
Timely course. Many thanks!
Great course. Instructor was empathetic and knowledgeable and he course positively impacted my outlook for the rest of the day.
Fantastic, relevant presentation. Wonderful speaker. Great course.
Excellent presentation!
Many of the points on the slides really stood out to me / struck home
Great topic, relevant information, and good over-all message.... However, It felt a little too "Dr. Phil" at times + Needs to be more relatable for the younger generation of attorneys trying to start their career & struggling to provide competent representation during pandemic
Great course.
Excellent, timely course. Great examples. Personal, caring touch.
This was a fantastic CLE and so needed in these crazy times. Thank you!
Attorney Quinn, you are phenomenal. Very real and honest, will help a lot of attorneys, I have known so many attys on cocaine and alcohol, also gamblers. including my exhusband and his friends, one of his friends died from his addiction, insides exploded. Godspeed to you.
Wow, great energy and commitment. Being a lawyer ain't easy!
Good program. Great information and recommendation!
Inspiring!
Very good job by the speaker.
One of the best presentations I’ve seen on this topic. Very helpful and inspiring.
Outstanding program; every lawyer should watch this one.
Excellent speaker with enlightening statistics.
Very well presented. Interesting statics and great information.
Absolutely refreshing and insightful.
best CLE ever
Awesome presenter on a topic that’s incredibly important and much overlooked
Well done application of various approaches to address attorney stresses, especially in COVID era.
Great program
The instructor was very good, I liked his presentation a lot.
BEST DRUG AND ALCOHOL PROGRAM I HAVE EVER HEARD
Great course....great presentation....the problem of course is that the practice of law in a major lawful is brutally stressful....just a fact of life
Good Good
Awesome!
Great presentation. Glad I watched it.
Thank you for sharing your story. Impactful.
Sobering. Very informative.
Important information and a good reminder.
Great speaker and energy (would be great to get better microphones on people).
a difficult subject well done
Such wonderful advice for attorneys to avoid substance abuse problems and how to get help if you have a problems!
Gentleman giving presentation was exceptional!
Much needed information!
Ecvellent presentation. Highly recommend.
This program is truly valuable--for all attorneys.
Really good on subject
Excellent presentation. Thank you so much.
thank you
Thank you for a truly necessary and potentially life-saving presentation!!!
Thank you for your honesty and earnest care for lawyers and their mental health.
Best CLE class I have ever taken.
The instructor was very good and very relatable.
This was an exceptionally good program that should be required viewing for all lawyers.
Presenter starts a little slow...but he does excellent job by the end.
Given the educational background of every listener, this course would be more interesting if it cited the science behind the platitudes. Providing the medical science behind the advice to, say, do nreathing exercises or meditate, is more likely to lead listeners to adopt such practices, and less likely to inspire eye rolls.
Mr. Quinn was very effective. Having practiced since 1964, i find his comments resonate and have the power of hard earned experience. Good job.
Superb presentation
Terrific!
Very well done. Presentation included very useful practical advice.
Really appreciated the content. The audio quality was a bit tinny, my guess is because of tech issues related to recording during coronavirus.
This should be a required CLE course for all lawyers.
Very important message here - maybe Lawline should highlight this item as being most timely. Also excellent presenter.
Very helpful and insightful. A sensitive subject during a very volatile time in both personal and professional lives. Very well presented.
Excellent course. It should be mandatory for every lawyer to take it.
great course! great speaker!
A lot of useful tips to alleviate stress! I really enjoyed this seminar, because unlike a lot of business, ours is booming and it's hard to keep up and not feel stressed. I am getting older (62) and I feel more anxiety then I did when I was younger.
good coping skills to avoid problems
There was little that was said that I was not well acquainted, and yet, I appreciated every minute of the course. This knowledge however has a habit of getting pushed aside in favor of trying to fix everything at the office, home and in the world all at once. I can't be reminded enough that wee also must take care of ourselves and hit the pause button periodically. Thank you for the well crafted reminder.
Excellent. Very motivating! Thank you
This speaker was amazing! One of the most refreshing and truthful cle that I have had in a long time!
Excellent!
Thank you!
I really appreciate this course. Thank you for doing it!
Polished and compelling speaker
Timely excellent presentation. Thank you.
Great and timely subject matter. Thanks!
The speaker mentioned points that perhaps a lawyer should think about, and put to use.
It helped greatly to know that I am not alone in my present anxiety and depression .
appreciated instructor's sincerity, thoughtful preparation, and sharing of personal experience
One of the best courses I have taken.
I really like this instructor. Honest and uses direct personal experience.
Excellent presenter
Relevant for today's unique stress and anxiety landscape.
Excellent motivational counselor. Lots of substantive information in the written materials.
Excellent presentation, Brian.
Refreshingly candiid speaker.
This course was excellent. The instructor was extremely knowledgeable, spoke from personal experience and his message was extremely relevant.
Excellent!!!
Great presentation by person who knows what he is talking about. Thought provoking and inspiring.
That was a very powerful presentation. I only wish I had watched it before I quit my job two weeks ago due to stress.
Very inspiring and a call to be mindful and empowered.
Very inspiring
tremendous message and timely!
excellent
Excellent presentation - thank you.
Thanks for the timely COVID content
He was excellent. God Bless that man.
great course! Honest and helpful.
Great course for these times.
Simply an excellent program. Everyone can gain something from this information. And thanks for the Mindfulness training.
Excellent job. I also watched another of his courses.
This CLE course would be invaluable during any period of an attorneys career and it is especially useful during the current COVID-19 pandemic. Excellent course with extensive list of resources!
Great presentation.
Thank you. I could totally relate to the content and benefit from it.
Thank you
I always enjoy his presentations, and the statistics shared always surprise me -- not always in an encouraging way! :-)
This was very good.
very enthusiastic speaker with true life experience on the subject
Very helpful!
Excellent speaker he been there
Absolutely wonderful presentation. Great presentation style
Very informative program.
Excellent ... a must presentation to see.
Mr Quinn was excellent.
thanks very much, great presenter, timely subject - I really appreciated the presenter sharing his personal experience as I think it helps encourage people to ask for help - thanks again
Hire this guy again. He made this fun.
Thoughtful presentation
Excellent and inspiring delivery.
Very important topic. Thanks for sharing personal journey
Great insights!
helpful
Appreciated the personal testimony and perspective
Terrific course! Great instructor! Important content!
Speaker was engaging. Enjoyed his presentation.
This is a very helpful course for Attorneys to deal with the unprecedented stressful times we face in this Coronavirus Pandemic. And it is taught by someone who has a powerful personal experience to share. His caring and empathy shows.
Excellent!
Raw and honest!
Very well done.
Thank you for this very relevant, helpful, honest course.
Terrific to call it what it is, a generational trauma and a moral catastrophe for our culture and society. Kudos.
Very important and timely discussion.
Very helpful content especially in light of the additional stressors placed on the legal profession as a result of Covid-19.
PROFOUND. The most authentic, genuine speaker.
I learned that my first profession is fraught with stress and anxiety. My primary job is now as a secondary school educator, business teacher. More manageable stress, except for Covid.
The presenter was personally familiar with the subject of this course, and that gave it more credibility.
Mr Quinn, that was the most powerful and genuine presentation I've seen on Lawline. Thank you. - Jim Hunt
Very relevant content!
Excellent and important!
This is a must see CLE whether in the corona virus era or not. These are universal mental health issues that affect attorneys every day.
Very enlightening and helpful. Great Job!
Good speaker with the common touch.
This was very timely and the presenter focused on specific issues that I’ve discussed with coworkers
Hard facts and thoughtful suggestions delivered with clear knowledge and authentic empathy. Excellent.
Excellent speaker and materials. Highly recommended.
From the heart, good on you sir.
Very good course. I appreciate the instructor's passion and empathy regarding substance abuse and the increased potential for attorneys to rely on substances to cope with the "new normal". Thank you for hosting this.
I really appreciate the moderator's passion. Great job!
Outstanding presentation. Very forceful message.
GREAT JOB!
Good information.
An important course. Thank you!
Good presentation of important information.
I appreciated the presenter opening up about his own struggles with substance abuse.
Great presenter!
Great topic that is not widely talked about!