ABA, Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation Release First National Study On Attorney Substance Use, Mental Health Concerns

Of 11,278 attorney/participants 20.6% scored at a level consistent with problematic drinking. . . . Of 11,489 participants, 36.4% . . . score consistent with hazardous drinking or possible alcohol abuse or dependence. A significantly higher proportion of women (39.5%) . . . scored consistent with problematic use compared with men (33.7%) . . . A total of 2901 participants (22.6%) reported that they have felt their use of alcohol or other substances was problematic at some point in their lives; of those that felt their use has been a problem, 27.6% reported problematic use manifested before law school, 14.2% during law school, 43.7% within 15 years of completing law school, and 14.6% more than 15 years after completing law school.

The study also looks at drug abuse and mental health issues.

Click here for the study.

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Critical Case Comment

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By Henry E. Hildebrand, III, Chapter 13 Standing Trustee (Nashville, TN) While the debtors failed to meet the high threshold to establish excusable neglect to permit their claim filed on behalf of a creditor after the bar date to be allowed, where a Chapter 13 case is dismissed and then reinstated prior to the expiration of the bar date, the...

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George Stevenson

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My life in 1982 was in a bit of turmoil. I had recently gotten married and was working as in-house counsel for a regional furniture retailer. My position included a lot of collection work – beating up on debtors in state and bankruptcy courts. I was not unhappy but I was not comfortable with my work – it was clear...

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The Honorable William Houston Brown

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Small Business Reorganization Act…(“SBRA”) H.R. 3311 – PART ONE

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Critical Case Comment – Punitive Damages? Yep.

Henry E. Hildebrand, III

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Punitive damages can be awarded for a violation of Rule 3002.1 even where there are no compensatory damages, other than attorney’s fees.

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