If there is one word we heard during our journey through the pandemic and continue to hear more than any other term as we navigate the “new normal” world, it is “burnout.”

But what is burnout? What does it look and feel like? More importantly, what can we do to prevent the normal stress and lawyer anxiety so common in our profession from developing into the physically and emotionally draining state known as burnout?

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 one out of three attorneys will likely need services for substance use or mental health at some point in their careers.

In this webinar, Brian Quinn, Education and Outreach Coordinator, Lawyers Concerned for Lawyers of PA, Inc., will discuss the following:

• The early warning signs of impairment, with special emphasis on stress and burnout
  • Symptoms of stress and burnout that are particularly prevalent among members of the legal profession
  • Basic stress reactions, both physical and psychological, and the difference between healthy stress and distress
  • Guidelines for a master plan, including realistic prevention strategies that work
• Why lawyers and judges are at especially high risk of developing mental health and substance use disorders
• The free services that lawyers' assistance programs provide to lawyers, judges, family members, and law students
• The barriers that prevent lawyers and judges from seeking the help they need
• The connection between impairment and ethical challenges, including a discussion of the duty to report misconduct and the impact of American Bar Association Rule 8.3(c) and the role lawyers' assistance programs may play.