Shades of Gray: Perspectives on Aging Attorneys

It’s been called the “Senior Tsunami” – the wave of attorneys reaching retirement age and beyond. This program will cover the challenges faced by the profession, and those working within it, with an aging, and often times, cognitively impaired population. How do you respond when an attorney begins to exhibit signs of cognitive impairment? What are your ethical responsibilities to the firm, its clients and the lawyer? What resources are available to guide your decision-making and find help? What rules/policies are currently in place to govern the disciplinary problems that often times result, and what are some suggestions for the future?  

We will discuss answers to these questions, as well as the medical issues associated with aging, the effects on an attorneys’ ability to practice, disciplinary perspectives, risk management and potential malpractice actions, and the resources available to those impacted by the “graying” of the profession.

Learning Objectives:

1. Explore the challenges faced by the legal profession due to the increasing wave of aging attorneys
2. Examine how to respond when an attorney exhibits signs of cognitive impairment, including an understanding of your ethical responsibilities
3. Review resources available to attorneys seeking guidance on these matters