Substance Abuse and Ethical Uncertainties

Drug abuse among legal professionals continues to be a growing problem. Attorneys must understand the consequences of coping with stress through unhealthy and dangerous means, like alcohol and drugs. ABA Model Rule 8.3: Reporting Professional Misconduct adds to the complexity of addressing substance abuse in legal professionals.

Recreational drug use among attorneys provides its own set of problems. Courts have difficulty finding the proper ways to punish legal professionals who recreationally use drugs.

This course analyzes the complex issue of substance abuse among attorneys, prevention, and treatment of substance abuse, and how courts punish recreational drug use among attorneys, making it ideal for legal professionals at any stage.

Learning Objectives:

• Identify why drug abuse is worse among legal professionals
• Explore the ethical consequences of attorney use and abuse of drugs on an individual and community-wide level
• Assess how to prevent attorney substance abuse
• Review how courts approach substance abuse among attorneys