All contacts with Lawyers Helping Lawyers are COMPLETELY CONFIDENTIAL.
LHL is committed to render confidential assistance to any member of the Utah State Bar whose professional performance is or may be impaired because of mental illness, emotional distress, substance abuse or any other disabling condition or circumstance.
LHL operates as a clearinghouse to help the lawyer or judge to find the professional assistance necessary and best suited for the issue presented. To that end, LHL maintains a network of treatment providers and professional services available throughout the State. Through the ABA relationship LHL shares as a CoLAP member, LHL can also access treatment programs and services available across the nation.
LHL also maintains a list of local legal professionals prepared to assist as peer volunteers and/or mentors willing to work with the member in crisis to assist with perspective, advice and help as needed by the member.
Utah's Rules of Professional Conduct expressly recognize LHL as an approved peer assistance program. By virtue of this recognition, LHL members are relieved of the duty to report ethical violations discovered as a result of their LHL work. This important exception to Rule 8.3 means that any misconduct or ethical violation discovered or revealed to a member of LHL will NOT be reported to the Office of Professional Conduct, an employer or anyone else.
Not only is confidentiality maintained, but so is the anonymity of the caller and the contact. The LHL office is independent from the Bar and is located separate and apart from the Law and Justice Center. LHL does not maintain records as to the personal information of the callers or the contacts. The only information maintained by LHL are the statistical data relating to the number of calls and general nature of the calls.
Federal regulations on privacy and confidentiality of alcohol dependency, chemical dependency and mental health information are adhered to by LHL. The LHL network consists of many attorneys who have themselves recovered from their own dependency issues or through training and experience are successfully dealing with addiction, stress, depression or other career related problems.
HELP IS AVAILABLE. Contact LHL.
A lawyer, judge, member of the legal community or any family member of such may access the program by calling the confidential phone lines of LHL at 579-0404 or 1-800-530-3743 and speak directly to someone that can help. You may also feel free to contact any LHL Board Member.
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