DRAFT, NOT READY TO BE GRADED Legal Briefcase in One Hand, A Scotch in the Other

A. Intro

Hang around a liquor store long enough and you will notice that often times the most frequent customers do not seem to be people with high economic means. These frequent customers are the stereotypical drunkard alcoholics: disheveled, unshaven, and almost always belligerent. This image of a typical alcoholic can actually be more aptly molded to that of a stereotypical lawyer: a clean cut professional wearing a freshly pressed suit and tie. Although figures vary widely upon the actual rates of alcoholism amongst those in the legal profession, it is well documented that the figure for the American public in general is between 8-10% of the population. Various studies and surveys have found that the alcoholism rate amongst lawyers range from 13-25% of the whole profession, a startling figure when one takes into account the natural incentive for people to often underrate their alcohol consumption or lie about it all together. Why are law students and the future lawyers they become more susceptible to alcoholism at a rate that is more than twice that of the general populace?

B. Character Traits of the People Attracted to Law School

The answer might come from examining the personality traits that most law students, and subsequently lawyers, share with each other. Law students by their very nature are a very ambitious, competitive, and outspoken group. These traits do not form a basis for an explanation of the higher rates of alcoholism amongst the legal profession however. The inherent character traits that causes the higher rates of alcoholism amongst lawyers is that lawyers as a group value strength and confidence over vulnerability and doubt.

Law students and lawyers learn early on in their academic and professional careers that the culture of the legal profession rewards those who best hide their weaknesses and shortcomings while projecting a strong and confident image for others to see. By learning to form this hardened exterior, and the inherent perfectionism amongst lawyers, people that are attracted to the legal profession are innately less likely to seek help for shortcomings like an alcohol abuse problem. It would not be too much of a stretch to argue that lawyers are less likely than the general population to not only seek professional help for their addiction, but are less likely to admit to themselves that they have lost control of their alcohol consumption.

C. Legal Culture Itself a. LawSchool? b. Law Practice

D. Conclusion

-- HoangTruong - 04 Apr 2008