Professor Susan Grover Appointed to ABA Commission on Lawyer Assistance Programs

Susan Grover Professor Susan Grover has been appointed a member of the ABA's Commission on Lawyer Assistance Programs. Grover has a long history working in lawyer assistance.

by Ami Dodson | August 18, 2009

Professor Susan Grover has been appointed by American Bar Association President-Elect Carolyn Lamm as a member of the ABA's Commission on Lawyer Assistance Programs (CoLAP). The mission of CoLAP is "to educate the legal profession concerning alcoholism, chemical dependencies, stress, depression and other emotional health issues, and to assist and support all bar associations and lawyer assistance programs in developing and maintaining methods of providing effective solutions for recovery."

Grover has long been involved with assisting members of the legal community, both practitioners and students, who struggle with substance abuse issues. She is a member of the Board of Directors for Virginia Lawyers Helping Lawyers (LHL), which was organized in 1985 to "provide confidential, non-disciplinary assistance to members of the legal profession in Virginia who experience professional impairment as a result of substance abuse."

Grover originally began in this field by supporting the needs of law students. As she came to interact with wider sectors of the legal profession, however, working with practitioners was a natural extension. "Knowing lawyers and the challenges the profession presents allows me to counsel law students and help them prepare for the stresses of the profession," she said.

Judge Robert L. Childers, Chair of CoLAP, said he was delighted to have Grover on the Commission. "Susan's energy, experience and passion for assisting lawyers, judges and law students will be a great asset."

"Susan has made enormous contributions to Virginia's lawyers," said David Bobzien, president of LHL. "Susan led the William & Mary effort to conduct a 2008 survey to gauge the depth of substance abuse and mental disorders afflicting lawyers in Virginia. The quality of the survey surpassed all of our expectations."

Jim Leffler, Executive Director of LHL, offered similar sentiments. "Susan has been an energetic and enthusiastic volunteer for Lawyers Helping Lawyers for many years," he said. "She has worked with a number of attorneys that needed support, started a student division of LHL at William & Mary and has been on the Board of Directors since 2002."

"Becoming a commissioner with the ABA will allow me to help reach out to lawyers and law students on a nationwide basis," concluded Grover. "Volunteer work for lawyer assistance---locally and nationally---is the best way for me to serve the profession."