Do you need Ethics credits? This program is designed to provide a convenient, one-stop buffet of the timeliest ethics topics available. All programs are presented by experienced and respected faculty who will challenge your concepts of ethics. You’ll walk away refreshed and inspired. Even better…you can substitute extra ethics credits for substantive credits, or you can carry forward what you don’t use now.

Virtual Isolation: Is Hyperconnectivity Helping or Harming the Legal Professional?

If we stop to think about what we look at most during the day, the answer would probably not be our family or friends, nor our clients or colleagues. The most feasible option would be our mobile phone. Smartphones are now our companions for work, social, leisure and even family life. However, excessive use can lead to problems of dependence, addiction and fear. We find ourselves simultaneously connected and alone. Workers today are ‘never turned off.” Like our mobile phones, we only go on standby at the end of the day as we crawl into bed, exhausted. Gradual, incremental increases in responsibilities, duties, pressures and demands upon lawyers, at home and at work, combined with long work-days and weeks has placed our profession at risk. At some point work may dominate our lives and keep us at a chronically high level of distress; yet we are often unaware that we have lost balance in our lives. Since it doesn’t appear that the “always-on” culture will be switching off any time soon, we need to develop key strategies that can help safeguard our personal life. Recent studies have shown that there has been a dramatic increase in impairment due to alcoholism, addiction and mental health disorders among members of the legal profession. The statistics are compelling and clearly indicate that 1 out of 3 attorneys will likely have a need for substance use or mental health services at some point in their careers. And Technology ? What role does it play in perpetuating this public health crisis?Attorney Brian S. Quinn is the Education and Outreach Coordinator for Lawyers Concerned for Lawyers of Pennsylvania. He will discuss:
1. The early warning signs of impairment, with special emphasis on stress, anxiety and trauma, including the mental health impact of technology in the post- COVID-19 world.
2. The free services that Lawyers Assistance Programs provide to lawyers, judges, their family members and law students.  
3.  A close look at what barriers exist that prevent lawyers and judges from seeking the help they need and the role that education plays in breaking the stigma and fear associated with addiction and mental illness in the legal profession. 
4. Wellness strategies that can be used by legal professionals and their families.
5. The ethical challenges created by the imposed isolation of the pandemic, including the role technology plays, and it’s possible long- lasting effect on the legal profession.

Ethics Update from the PBA Legal Ethics and Professional Responsibility Committee

The Legal Ethics Committee provides guidance to PBA members about handling matters and concerns under the Pennsylvania Rules of Professional Conduct. This session will discuss the latest ethical guidance opinions from the committee and offer insights into common ethical issues confronting lawyers.

Social Media and Artificial Intelligence: Ethical Implications for Attorney

Lawyers in all types of practices have embraced social media as a method for attracting and communicating with potential and existing clients, as well as a platform for investigating others involved in their matters. The advent of artificial intelligence and machine learning, including chatbots such as ChatGPT, has added a new dimension to the discussion. This session will explore how lawyers and firms are using social media and artificial intelligence as part of their practices and the ethical implications of the use of these technologies.  

Recorded in April 2023.