OLAP & other Programs Offering Assistance to Lawyers

Ontario Lawyers Assistance Program (OLAP)
LAWPRO funds and promotes the Ontario Lawyers Assistance Program, a network of legal professionals that offers confidential help to lawyers, judges and law students who suffer from substance abuse, addictions, mental health issues, stress or eating disorders.

OLAP's unique "lawyer's helping lawyers" approach includes a group of lawyer volunteers with first hand sensitivity to these types of problems who can manage the lawyer into accepting help or treatment. Often the lawyer who needs the help is in denial, and rejects the views and advice of people close at hand.

Another unique feature of OLAP is its ability to respond to a call for help from a staff member, a partner or a family member concerned about a lawyer or judge.

Why Have OLAP?
The incidence of alcohol abuse in the general population is about 10%. Depending on what study you read, lawyers have a higher or at least equal percentage rate of abuse. Reports for Washington state indicate that 18% of lawyers from 2 to 20 years developed a drinking problem and that this percentage increased as lawyers practiced longer. With regards to depression, the general population prevalence rate varies from 3.5 to 27 percent depending on the criteria used. Chemical or drug addictions follow the pattern of a 10% prevalence rate.

This information tells us that, on a conservative approach, 1 in 10 lawyers in their lifetime will have an alcohol and/or drug problem. As well, approximately 1 in 4 people will experience at least one episode of depression in his/her lifetime. Thus, out of Ontario's 26,000 lawyers, at least 2,600 will have one or more of these illnesses at some time. Many of those lawyers will experience discipline proceedings and/or negligence claims.

OLAP does not promise to "fix" or "cure" the lawyer who needs help. It does, however, provide a method for lawyers to discover that they are not alone in their illnesses and that help is available in a non-judgmental and understanding way. The work of wellness and recovery is the job of the individual person with a volunteer peer support as an aid to try to achieve balance and health.

Other Programs