(July 10, 2006 – Oklahoma City) Since the beginning of this year, the Oklahoma Bar Association has lost a member a month to suicide. The association’s board of governors is working to assist lawyers in trouble and recently began offering up to six hours of crisis intervention counseling for attorneys experiencing emotional or stress-related issues.

OBA President William Grimm of Tulsa said, “Emotional or substance abuse problems in the legal profession affect everyone. When a lawyer’s practice is impaired, other lawyers as well as clients ultimately pay the price. Early intervention is good business because it’s good for the legal profession and good for the public.”

The OBA is providing this service to its members at no cost. Lawyers using the service will remain completely anonymous. OBA members may call LifeFocus Counseling Services directly at (405) 840-5252 or toll-free (866) 726-5252 to be referred to a counselor in their area. The service is available 24 hours a day.

The OBA also assists its members through Lawyers Helping Lawyers a peer-to-peer program for OBA members who are primarily dealing with alcohol or substance abuse issues. Lawyers in need of assistance with these issues may call (800) 364-7886. Calls to this number are also strictly confidential.

The association is also beginning a fundraising campaign for the Lawyers Helping Lawyers Foundation in support of that program. Additionally, the OBA’s Work/Life Balance Committee is dedicated to helping resolve some of the underlying work-related problems that may be causing attorneys to become overwhelmed by stress.

Grimm said, “We are looking in all directions for indicators to get a better understanding of the cause of these problems. We care about our peers and colleagues, but we must also look out for the public whose lives can be adversely affected by a lawyer in crisis.”

The 15,000-member Oklahoma Bar Association, headquartered in Oklahoma City, was created by the Oklahoma Supreme Court to advance the administration of justice and to foster and maintain learning, integrity, competence, public service and high standards of conduct among Oklahoma 's legal community.