On Demand
Audio
The Impaired Lawyer: A Call for Action
Produced on May 14, 2019
Course Information
Course Description
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. Join attorney Brian Quinn as he discusses these important issues, including a breakdown of the results of the first scientific study of impairment in the legal profession due to alcohol, drugs and mental health disorders as contained in the 2016 ABA/Hazelden Krill report.
This program will place special emphasis on the danger of enabling behavior among the peers of the impaired lawyer or judge and how it can actually prevent treatment by reinforcing the denial that so called "high functioning" impaired individuals often exhibit. Most importantly, Mr. Quinn will share his own compelling story of impairment due to alcohol and drug use over the course of a highly successful career that ultimately resulted in the loss of his family, career, and freedom, and how Pennsylvania's Lawyers Assistance Program helped to restore not only his standing in the legal community, but his life as well.
Learning Objectives:
- Identify the early warning signs of impairment due to alcohol and substance use as well as mental health issues such as depression, stress, and anxiety
- Best approach the impaired individual and understand how your state’s Lawyers Assistance Program can provide assistance
- Bring awareness to the services that Lawyers Concerned for Lawyers provides to lawyers, judges, their family members, and law students in a safe, non-judgmental, CONFIDENTIAL environment
- Look closely at what barriers exist that prevents lawyers and judges from seeking the help they so desperately need
- Discuss the role that education plays in breaking the stigma and fear associated with addiction and mental illness in the legal profession
- Address the ethical considerations facing the legal profession and how the impaired lawyer's illness-based misconduct will, if left untreated, often lead to greater harm to clients, careers, and personal well-being
Credit Information
Faculty
Brian S. Quinn
Lawyers Concerned for Lawyers of Pennsylvania, Inc.
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.
Reviews
Presenter was very credible.
A truly genuine course with firsthand experience demonstrating the dangers of addictions. The speaker’s personal experience that he shared makes the program more authentic.
Excellent - personal experience important, powerful.
One of the best ethics presentation I have seen. It was extremely persuasive and touching that the presenter talked about his personal experience. What a brave and kind man and professional. Keep the good work, helping others.
Excellent
Powerful.
This presentation addressed lawyers who may already be in distress, but also included great reminders for all lawyers about stress/burnout and ways to avoid that leading to problems that could ruin a career. Interesting personal story at the end, as well. Glad there are resources within the profession.
Great speaker. Sincere heartfelt presentation.
The presenter was awesome. He was very open and transparent about substance and alcohol abuse and the struggle for people (especially lawyers) to recognize when they need assistance. I really appreciated the presenter and joyful that his story turned positive.
Excellent and inspiring!
Brian Quinn made a compelling and courageous presentation. If he saves only one of us from what he went through, he has done our profession a great service,
Outstanding presentation and sharing of tragic experience that was used for a great purpose in turn to help and serve others.
Compelling!!
EXCELLENT PROGRAM AND PRESENTATION. The best I've watched and listened to on lawyer impairment and substance abuse and Lawyer Assistance Programs. Well done.
Very well done
Excellent course.
absolutely a must
Wonderful
Beautiful, thank you
very powerful
Excellent job Brian
Very powerful and very honest.
excellent presentation
Very helpful and moving
Moving.
The personal story at the end of this was very moving. Thank you.
This was one of the best CLE programs that I’ve ever listened to. He is an excellent speaker. Every attorney should listen to this CLE and he should be put in charge of setting up this program in every state.
Best CLE I have ever seen on this topic
The best presentation on this too-infrequently covered subject I have seen in over 30 years of being licensed...brutally honest, appalling, riveting and, ultimately, hopefully redemptive.
Great instructor
Excellent, engaging presenter. I appreciate him sharing his story.
Powerful story.
Very powerful presentation.
This presenter went above and beyond the call of duty. Really appreciate him sharing his personal experience overcoming addition. I hope he continues to do good work and help others who similarly struggle.
Wow! That was literally the best CLE I have ever seen. Brian, you are amazing. Thank you for your courage and your honesty. I am so happy that you turned your life around. I have a friend who went through something similar and I have known of others here in Chicago. Again, thank you so much.
Awesome!
What an amazing fall from grace and an even more amazing return to sobriety and decency. I am so glad I took this course.
Very moving speaker.
Excellent!!
This was a very moving, raw story of redemption.
Wow! Great presentation
Simply the best Lawline presentation I have seen.
Outstanding presentation!!
Really appreciated the testimonial; very powerful!
Brian is an amazing and inspiring attorney and instructor. This program should be heard by all attorneys.
Excellent presentation.
Very moving. Honest and sincere. Excellent.
A tremendously powerful presentation!
Attorney Quinn was an excellent presenter and I appreciate him sharing his own personal story.
excellent presentation
Fabulous presentation - so honest and brave! I applaud the speaker!
brave presentation. inspiring. all attorneys in every state should watch.
Amazing story of redemption...
Excellent program, and the presentation was very well done.
This course was amazing. Very educational and many good points. Thank you so much Mr. Quinn for sharing your very personal story and experiences.. I highly recommend this course.
Powerful personal testimony about this most important issue in our profession.
This is one of the best CLE presentations in my 30+ years. Brian was very impactful. I am sure there will be some lawyers with substance abuse issues this will cause them to reflect where they are.
Thank you to Mr. Quinn for sharing personal story. Very impactful!
Fantastic!
I just certified as a Holistic Health Practitioner today, in hope of helping other lawyers. How impactful to take this course at this time. I truly appreciate Mr. Quinn’s honesty, courage and commitment to helping others in our profession. Thank you Lawline for offering this course
VERY POWERFUL
The best I have ever heard.
I'd recommend this program over & over to anyone. Thank you Mr. Quinn for sharing your incredible story!
Clear and compelling.
Very impressed with this speaker's presence, honesty, and courage. Thank you for all you are doing to make the world a little better.
Excellent and worthwhile.
Excellent Program.
Open and honest presentation. Compelling story.
Really appreciated Brian's transparency. That was excellent.
Great lecture!
I have been in recovery for alcohol addiction for 28 years. This presentation was amazing. It will no doubt help anyone who watches it.
Absolutely sensational.
Best course i have taken so far.
Powerful presentation; riveting from start to finish. Truly a portrait of coverage. As a fellow attorney, I am proud of his hard work to overcome his alcohol and drug dependency, and hope that he continues his journey to rebuild his life and career successfully as he has done these past few years. Thank you!
Exceptional presentation. Informative, organized, knowledgeable. One of the best presentations I've heard to date.
This was phenomenal. What a story and what a great organization.
Excellent speaker
He is outstanding. He should be speaking nationally
Phenomenal presentation!
It started out a bit dry, but once the speaker started speaking about his own personal experiences, I was hooked.
amazing talk from a great speaker
Great
Outstanding course. Perfect individual to present. I am one who could relate to what he said.
Compelling speaker
Exceptional lecturer.
One of the best courses I've taken. Brian Quinn's story and ability to connect with lawyers because of his own experience is remarkable.
Awesome
This was one of the best CLE courses I've watched. The personal story at the end made the presentation come alive. It also shows a lot of bravery. I commend the speaker on his willingness to share openly a truly painful past.
Wow. Powerful presentation
Outstanding!
Excellent presentation. Best I've ever seen. I thought it was so brave that Brian shared his story with us. Very meaningful.
Great Course!!
This was one of the best, maybe the best, program I have viewed.
Great presenter. You can hear his passion in the subject.
Wow! What a powerful presentation on the the pit falls attorneys face with respect to alcohol and substance abuse as well as mental healh problems by the nature of their profession on a daily basis. I learned more by this course in an hour about the hazards that practitioners face in my profession that would have taken me numerous sessions to learn on someone's "couch."
The end was very powerful
extremely powerful!
Brian was an excellent presenter and his story and message were very impactful. Every lawyer and their families should watch this presentation.
definitely one of the top presentations I've seen on lawline.
Must see video for lawyers! Personal journey helps others.
Very informative!
Amazing and powerful presentation!
INCREDIBLE AND POWERFUL LECTURE
Powerful story
Thanks for sharing your story. This really touched me, and I will be praying for you. I'm so very sorry about the death of your mentor.
Put a few relevant personal matters into perspective (many years ago I saw that I was headed in the wrong direction, so I sought and received help, and was able to redirect my life). Kudos to Brian Quinn for having the courage to tell his story!
Excellent presentation!
Wow! Thanks for sharing. And caring!
Content was excellent, and the presenter's personal story made it even more impactful.
outstanding and compelling!
Definitely one of the more engaging courses
Brian was great!
Good class
Very powerful program and his story was eye opening.
Really great
Excellent!
The speaker’s testimonial was riveting !!
Amazing course. It should be required for every practicing attorney.
amazing
Brian, Thank you for sharing your testimony. God bless
I'm not sure there could be anyone more knowledgeable and effective in giving this presentation. All I can say is congratulations on the comeback. Our profession desperately needs more people like this. Thank you for your story.
Great speaker.
BEST WISHES TO BRIAN.
Excellent program. Recommend to all lawyers.
Outstanding! Thank you, Brian, for your service.
Very powerful,
Hands down, best CLE course I've ever taken. Should be required for all lawyers.
Really great speaker.
Best CLE course I have ever attended. Should be mandatory for all lawyers.
Brian is a fantastic orator and his story was extremely compelling and relevant to the points made.
Thank you for sharing this important information with us and for sharing your story. Very engaging presenter and presentation.
I would like to thank Mr. Quinn for sharing his story. Takes courage, and he has it.
Great presentation! Appreciated all the statistics and then really appreciated the personal story. Thanks for all your work!
if you had a five or higher, he would get that rating - excellent presenter and the personal experience he described was greagt
Fantastic!!! The instructor was engaging and made a tremendous impact with this very difficult subject matter. Thank you.
Liked the presenter - he was effective.
The information was all very valuable, but the presenter's personal story was incredibly moving!
One of the best presentations I have seen on Lawline. Very engaging presentation.
I thought the presenter was just wonderful. His story of dealing with his personal issues was very inspiring. I really enjoyed this CLE.
Very good stuff. Would listen to a presentation from him again.