Research = MEsearch: Paying it forward through Lawyers Concerned for Lawyers of Pennsylvania

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Research = MEsearch: Paying it forward through Lawyers Concerned for Lawyers of Pennsylvania

Program Originally Presented Monday, June 8, 2026

What if one of the most effective tools for sustaining your own well-being as a lawyer was helping another lawyer find theirs? This one-hour ethics CLE explores the powerful, reciprocal relationship between service, professional responsibility, and lawyer well-being. Drawing on lived experience, this interactive panel features six active Lawyer Concerned for Lawyers (LCL) and Judicial Concerned for Judges (JCJ) volunteers who have “paid forward” their experience to support colleagues navigating stress, substance use, mental health challenges, and career pressures unique to the legal profession.

The program begins with a 2025 snapshot of the profession’s mental health and substance use “heartbeat,” highlighting current trends, and risk factors impacting lawyers, judges, and legal staff. The panel will then examine how volunteer service—particularly peer-to-peer support—aligns with ethical duties of competence, professionalism, and civility while also enhancing empathy, connection, purpose, and personal resilience.

Participants will gain an overview of LCL’s confidential services, available 24/7/365, including peer support, referrals, and safe resources designed to protect privacy while promoting recovery and well-being. Panelists will candidly discuss how volunteering has strengthened their own mental health, reduced isolation, and renewed their commitment to the profession.

By the end of the program, attendees will:

• Understand current mental health and substance use trends affecting the legal profession in 2025
• Recognize the ethical intersections between lawyer well-being and professional responsibility
• Learn about LCL’s confidential support services and how to access or refer others
• Appreciate how service and mentorship can positively impact both those who give and those who receive support 

This program affirms a simple but powerful truth: when lawyers invest in each other, they not only uphold the profession’s values—they also strengthen themselves.

Panelists:
Laurie J. Besden, Esq.
Executive Director
Lawyers Concerned for Lawyers (LCL) of Pennsylvania

Honorable Ann Butchart
Senior Judge, Court of Common Pleas
First Judicial District

C. Reginald Johnson, Esq.
Law Office of C. Reginald Johnson

Avery C. McClean, Esq.
Associate Counsel for Programs and Counsel
New York State Assembly

Greg Mitsch, Esq.
Benstead, Mabon & Mitsch, P.C.

Barry Rabin, Esq.
Law Firm of Barry S. Rabin

Riley Ross, lll, Esq.
Education and Outreach Coordinator
Partner, Mincey Fitzpatrick Ross, LLC

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