A pre-recorded streaming VIDEO replay of one session from the March 2021 webcast seminar, 25th Annual Advanced Real Estate.
Cosponsored with the Real Property Section of the Virginia State Bar
Mental health matters to the ethical practice of law. This is not just a matter of common sense, but of the Virginia Rules of Professional Conduct. Rule 1.1 requires that a lawyer “provide competent representation to a client,” and Comment 7 notes that maintaining “the mental, emotional, and physical ability necessary for the representation of a client is an important aspect of maintaining competence to practice law.” In short, our profession cannot ethically ignore the state of mental health in the legal profession. Our profession, however, struggles to catch up to this reality. Numerous studies now show lawyers to be above the national average in everything from depression to anxiety to alcoholism and more. This presentation will (1) examine the crisis state of mental health in the legal profession, (2) summarize the studies and reports documenting these trends, (3) examine the LEOs, Rules of Professional Conduct, and MCLE Opinions that make this an ethical issue, and (4) perhaps most importantly, outline some practical solutions on a personal and industry level.