Vol. 29, No. 3 #5 (June 2006). EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR'S REPORT.

• Author: By Mary B. Guthrie

Wyoming Bar Journal

2006.

Vol. 29, No. 3 #5 (June 2006).

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR'S REPORT

WYOMING LAWYERJune 2006/Vol. 29, No. 3EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR'S REPORTBy Mary B. Guthrie

On April 21, 2006, the Bar officers and commissioners approved two bold initiatives that will significantly affect Wyoming lawyers. Both of these decisions provide services which Wyoming lawyers have indicated that they would like to receive. The first decision was to provide professional assistance to attorneys whose lives are affected by substance abuse. After more than two years of work, which included getting a statute amended, and a great engaging in much discussion and negotiation, the Bar decided to contract with the Wyoming Professional Assistance Program ("WPAP"), a not-for-profit organization, based in Casper, which has managed substance abuse problems for health care professionals since 1997. A full-time executive director and a physician who specializes in addiction comprise the staff.

WPAP provides several programs, including intervention, evaluation and referrals for impaired professionals and educational and referral support to family members and coworkers. The WPAP does not provide treatment, but will provide long term monitoring and aftercare. All matters before the WPAP are completely confidential and, unless the Board of Professional Responsibility has referred an attorney to WPAP as part of a diversionary program, Bar counsel and the members of the BPR will not be informed of an attorney's participation. Additional information about WPAP can be found online at www.wpapro.org.

Alcohol and drug abuse among practicing attorneys occur at alarmingly high rates. While there are no firm figures, it is conservatively estimated that at least 20% of all attorneys have substance abuse problems. If the attorneys who suffer from depression and age-related problems are counted, that percentage is significantly increased.

Substance abuse can seriously diminish an attorney's ability to practice effectively and cause a variety of professional problems, including missed filing deadlines, failure to communicate with clients, missed court appearances, unauthorized use of client funds, inattention to the work and poor judgment. The Wyoming State Bar hopes that participating with WPAP will help impaired attorneys with their professional problems before...