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More About TLAP, Services, and Support

TLAP Staff

TLAP employs professional staff members who have a variety of experiences and training to help lawyers and those concerned about the behavior of lawyers. 
Click here for the staff bios.

The TLAP staff is available during regular business hours and is “on-call” after hours and on weekends.  Please call 1-800-343-8527 to speak to a TLAP staff member.
Staff contacts:
                Ann D. Foster, afoster@texasbar.com
                Rachel Madorksy, rmadorsky@texasbar.com
                Cameron Vann, cvann@texasbar.com

Confidentiality – Chapter 467 Texas Health and Safety Code

All communications with TLAP are confidential pursuant to Texas Health and Safety Code Chapter 467.  TLAP will not divulge information about any lawyer, law student, judge, TLAP volunteer, concerned other, conversation or TLAP action without express written permission or as required by statute.

TLAP Committee 2008-2009

The TLAP Committee is a standing State Bar of Texas committee, the members to which are appointed each year by the incoming State Bar President.  The TLAP Committee provides consistent and valuable leadership, direction, consultation and guidance for the TLAP staff and volunteers in their work. The TLAP Committee is a critical component of the services provided through TLAP and helps with the ongoing development and implementation of TLAP policies, procedures and the resolution of specific issues and concerns as they may arise.  In accordance with every Committee member’s individual expertise and interest, each may act as an influential and key contact in his or her specific geographic location or area of interest.

Texas Lawyers Concerned for Lawyers (TLCL)

Texas Lawyers Concerned for Lawyers (TLCL) is a Texas non-profit 501(c)(3) corporation, independent of TLAP and the State Bar, whose mission and purpose closely resembles those of TLAP.  The Players Card  should help reduce any confusion as to differences and similarities between TLAP and TLCL.

Lawyer Self-Help Support Groups

TLCL and TLAP have joined together to offer and support lawyer self-help support groups around the state.  Primarily for lawyers concerned about alcohol and drug use, many groups are also welcoming of lawyers with mental health issues.  

Facilitated Mental Health Groups for Lawyers

TLAP understands that depression and other mood disorders may require specialized therapy and group facilitation.  TLAP is working with therapists in several Texas cities to provide low cost facilitated therapy groups for lawyers challenged by depression and other mood disorders.  Please call TLAP at 800-343-8527 for information about these groups.

Services:  Crisis Counseling and Referrals

TLAP’s primary mission is to provide crisis counseling, proper referrals to appropriate resources and professionals, and if appropriate, provide contacts to local volunteers interested and trained in providing peer assistance.  TLAP receives calls from lawyers calling about their own behavior and from others concerned about a lawyer or law student. TLAP staff is available during regular business hours and is also “on-call” after hours and on weekends.  Please call TLAP at 1-800-343-8527 to inquire directly about these services.

Services:  Peer Assistance

TLAP’s volunteers are lawyers, judges and law students who are committed to providing peer assistance to their colleagues.  Most volunteers are individuals who have experienced their own challenges with substance use or mental health disorders, accessed help, demonstrated recovery, and remain interested in helping others in the same way they were helped. TLAP volunteers uniquely know how important confidentiality is to the lawyer in crisis and are trained to help in a variety of ways: providing one-on-one peer support and assistance, participating in interventions, introducing others to the local support groups and other lawyers in recovery, making presentations, etc.
If you are interested in volunteering with TLAP, please go to the TLAP Volunteers section for more information or call us at 1-800-343-8527.

Services: Presentation, Education and Prevention

TLAP staff, members of the TLAP Committee and TLAP volunteers are available to make presentations throughout the state.  We speak regularly for the Texas Center for Legal Ethics and Professionalism’s Ethics Courses and Guide to the Basics of the Practice of Law.  We make presentations at Texas law schools, TexasBarCLE functions, local and specialty bar associations, ABA seminars and a plethora of other venues.  We believe that education is an important part of prevention and are committed to providing lawyers and law students important information to make good decisions about their health and well being.
           
State Bar of Texas
           
TLAP is the approved peer assistance program for lawyers in the state of Texas and has been a fully financed and supported program of the State Bar since 1989. While maintaining confidentiality and keeping to its mission, TLAP works cooperatively with a variety of entities, including but not limited to the Office of Chief Disciplinary Counsel, Commission on lawyer Discipline, Board of law Examiners, Board of Disciplinary Appeals, State Bar Board of Directors and other State Bar executives and staff members.

Most recently, State Bar President Martha Dickie has helped augment and support TLAP services relating to mental health issues through the development of the Task Force on Lawyer Mental Health and promotion of the TLAP/TexasBarCLE video, “Practicing from the Shadows: Depression and the Legal Profession.” Additionally, under her auspices and through the suggestion of the Task Force on Lawyer Mental Health, in February 2007, the State Bar Board of Directors approved “A Resolution Supporting Texas Lawyers’ Commitment to Wellness.”

American Bar Association’s Commission on Lawyer Assistance Programs

TLAP has long standing ties with the American Bar Association Commission on Lawyer Assistance Programs (ABA CoLAP).  Texas lawyer Michael J. Crowley was appointed Chair of ABA CoLAP from 1995-1997;  in 1999, 13th Court of Appeals Chief Justice Robert Seerden was awarded a Judge Appreciation Award and current TLAP Director Ann D. Foster served on the Commission from 2003-2006.  The CoLAP web page includes a directory of state lawyer assistance programs, information about CoLAP publications, copies of the newsletter Highlights, registration materials for the Annual ABA CoLAP National Conference and other links of interest.