Texas Lawyers' Assistance Program

   Lawyers Helping Lawyers

State Bar of Texas - contact

  1-800-343-TLAP (8527) or 1-512-1453

   www.texasbar.com/tlap

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HELP IS AVAILABLE

   The Texas Lawyers' Assistance Program is a confidential crisis counseling and referral program that helps Texas lawyers, law students and judges challenged by substance use and other mental health issues, including clinical depression, anxiety and stress.

    We're pioneers in the legal peer assistance field and we've been providing lawyer assistance as an official program of the State Bar of Texas since 1989.

    TLAP staff, TLAP Committee members and TLAP volunteers are often able to help by providing sensitive and discreet personal outreach, appropriate referrals and ideas for concrete solutions.  TLAP can help save lives and careers.

    Our work also contributes to the protection of the public, the improvement of the integrity and reputation of the legal profession, and, because assistance to affected lawyers often prevents future ethical violations, TLAP assistance also contributes to the reduction of disciplinary actions.

TLAP SERVICES

TLAP Confidential Services include:

• 24-hour hotline assistance and crisis counseling
• Peer contact and support
• Referral to resources including lawyer support groups
• Confidentiality and immunity protections under Texas Health and Safety Code, Chapter 467
• Consultation and compliance services relating to TDRPC, Rule 803 "Reporting Professional Misconduct"
• Consultation and coaching services for concerned others, law firms, judiciary, SBOT, CDC, CoLD, BODA, BLE, etc.
• Monitor consulting services for both substance use and mental health disorders
• Custom CLE programs
• Stress management education
• Peer volunteer network, training and support
• ABA networking and national outreach

SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS

 Substance Use Disorders are treatable illnesses.  It's estimated that lawyers are affected at higher rates than the general population.  If any of these symptoms are present in your life, or in the life of someone you know, there may be cause for concern:

• Drinking or using drugs to bolster courage, calm nerves, improve performance or deal with difficult people or situations.
• Drinking or using drugs on the job or during the day, before appointments, meetings, depositions or court appearances.
• Failing to show for appointments, meetings, depositions or court appearances; failing to return phone calls.
• Declining quality and quantity of work product.
• Avoiding law partners, office staff, colleagues, friends, family or clients.
• Drinking or using drugs alone.  Making excuses for, or lying about, frequency or amount.
• Driving under the influence (regardless of whether discovered).
• Experiencing blackouts or memory lapses when drinking or using drugs.

 It's no secret that long work hours and stressful conditions can contribute to professional burnout or clinical depression.  Depression is a treatable illness.  If you see these issues in your life, or someone else's life, help may be needed:

• Consistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness.
• Lack of interest in people, things or activities previously enjoyed.
• Increased fatigue or loss of energy.
• Increased restlessness or irritability.
• Noticeable change in appetite or weight.
• Noticeable change in normal sleep pattern.
• Isolation from family and friends.
• Feelings of guilt or worthlessness.
• Diminished ability to remember, think, concentrate or make decisions.
• Thoughts of death or suicide.

PEER ASSISTANCE AND TREATMENT WORK

   "The TLAP volunteers who came to talk to me back in 2001 were kind, compassionate and knowledgeable about my disease and what I would need to do to get better and recover.  It helped so much to talk to someone who had 'been there and done that.'  I am forever grateful to those two lawyers ...." (West Texas)

   "It took the final light pole accident for me to finally admit that I had a problem with alcohol.  I pulled out the Bar Journal [and] called the TLAP number.  TLAP set me up with a volunteer, a female lawyer close to my age who knew my story because she had lived it as well.  She took me to an AA meeting and I have been sober ever since." (Houston)

   "Years ago, at a time when I was in deep despair due to what I considered to be my own inadequacies, a friend suggested that I might be suffering, not from weak character, but from a physical illness called depression.  That dear friend, and a very good doctor, probably saved my life."(Austin)

    "I tried to kill myself three times.  The third time I landed in the hospital.  After my release from the hospital, I drank again....  Then a lawyer gave a talk to our local bar association.  He had been sober for many years.  He talked about his problems with alcohol and how his life had changed when he quit drinking....  He urged me to become involved in TLAP.  I saw how other lawyers just like me had changed.  I only hope that, like them, I can give to others what was so freely given to me."  (South Texas)

    "In 2003, my well kept-secret of fear and depression came into the light.  Thankfully, I began to seek help.  My wife saw an ad in the Texas Bar Journal for TLAP and suggested I call.  TLAP referred me to a volunteer.  He shared his story with me and invited me to come to a meeting.  When I walked into my first [LCL] meeting, I was surprised to see attorneys I knew from my years of practice.  With the help of TLAP and Dallas LCL, I was able to begin rebuilding my life.  Today, I live my life openly facing my fear and depression.  Dallas LCL continues to be an important part of my life." (Dallas)

 TLAP STAFF, COMMITTEE AND VOLUNTEERS

   TLAP employs a full-time professional staff, consisting of lawyers and experienced mental health professionals, uniquely qualified to help lawyers and those concerned about the well-being of lawyers.  The TLAP staff is available during regular business hours and is "on-call" after hours and on weekends.

   The TLAP Committee is a standing State Bar of Texas committee, the members of which are appointed each year by the incoming State Bar President.  The TLAP Committee provides consistent and valuable leadership, direction, consultation and guidance for the TLAP staff and volunteers.  The TLAP Committee is a critical component of the services provided through TLAP and helps with the ongoing development and implementation of TLAP policies and procedures and the resolution of the specific issues and concerns.  Committee members also may act as key contacts in their specific geographic location or area of interest.

   TLAP volunteers are lawyers, judges and law students who are committed to providing peer assistance to their colleagues.  Most volunteers are individuals who have overcome their own challenges with substance use or mental health disorders and who are interested in helping others.  TLAP volunteers know how important confidentiality is to lawyers in crisis and are trained to help in a variety of ways, including providing one-on-one peer support and assistance, participating in interventions, introducing others to the local support groups and other lawyers in recovery and making presentations.