Lawyers Helping Lawyers — Confidential Assistance and Ethical Duties (Online Seminar)

A pre-recorded streaming video replay from the September 2016 webcast, Lawyers Helping Lawyers — Confidential Assistance and Ethical Duties.

Learn how to get confidential help from Lawyers Helping Lawyers, Virginia’s Lawyer Assistance Program, for yourself or a colleague. George Hettrick and David Mercer will discuss the steps lawyers should take when faced with substance abuse or mental health issues.

• What is a lawyer's ethical duty when he or she has reason to believe that a lawyer is having problems?
• What if that lawyer is a member of your firm?  Opposing counsel in a case?
• What actions should the other lawyers in a law firm take to protect clients if one of their members has a problem?
• Must they, for example, take over client files and, if so, what should they tell the client?
• Can a lawyer discharge his ethical duty under Rule 8.3 merely by reporting the lawyer to a Lawyers Assistance Program or Lawyers Helping Lawyers?
• Would your answer depend on whether you knew of any misconduct that required reporting to the bar?
• Is depression or substance abuse by a lawyer misconduct that must be reported to the bar?
• What bar disciplinary proceedings are triggered for lawyers when they are convicted of a felony?
• Are all felonies the same for purposes of a lawyer losing his or her license?
• Should lawyers suffer discipline for criminal conduct that is purely personal and not related to the practice of law?
• Is a lawyer required to self-report to the bar that he or she has been convicted of a felony?
• If a lawyer is suspended or disbarred, may another law firm hire the suspended or disbarred lawyer?  If so, in what capacity and under what terms and conditions?

Lawyers Helping Lawyers offers free, confidential help that is not part of the disciplinary system of the Virginia State Bar. See more at www.valhl.org. Call a 24-hour hotline at 1-877-545-4682.

ABOUT THE SPEAKERS

George H. Hettrick, Hunton & Williams LLP / Richmond

George Hettrick has been practicing law with Hunton & Williams in Richmond, Virginia, since 1965.  He served on the board of directors  of the Virginia Lawyers Helping Lawyers program (and its predecessor organization) from 1991 until 2015.  From 2000 until 2008 he also served as a member of the American Bar Association’s Commission on Lawyers Assistance programs.

David S. Mercer, MercerTrigiani / Alexandria

David Mercer is a founding partner of MercerTrigiani, a law firm in Alexandria, Virginia, providing representation to community associations.  Mr. Mercer served as a member and chair of The Virginia Bar Association Substance Abuse Committee, responsible for administering the Lawyers Helping Lawyers program.  He served as president of Lawyers Helping Lawyers in 2003 and 2004.  Mr. Mercer was named to the first class of recipients of the Leaders in the Law recognition by Virginia Lawyers Weekly in 2006 for his work on behalf of Lawyers Helping Lawyers.  Mr. Mercer is president-elect of The Virginia Bar Association.

Sridhar Yaratha, M.D., RVA Recovery / Richmond

Dr. Sridher Yaratha is a psychiatrist with RVA Recovery in Richmond, VA. He provides outpatient mental health and substance abuse evaluations and treatment and coordinating group therapy programs. He is the attending Psychiatrist at Hunter Holmes McGuire VA Medical Center in Richmond as well as an Associate Professor in Psychiatry at Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine.