Clients expect their lawyers to stay focused on their case, taking every necessary step and precaution for a successful legal process. This means a lawyer needs to stay sharp and fully present to handle any issues or deadlines that can arise during a legal case.
A lawyer’s drug abuse could break a client’s trust, resulting in a lost case, large bills, reputational loss and other serious consequences. A lawyer who has a substance abuse problem could result in legal malpractice. Here is what you should know:
Drug use and drug misuse or abuse are two different things
When a lawyer fails to perform at a standard level of professionalism, they can harm their client and their legal case. This can happen in a few ways, such as discussing private matters with other parties, missing deadlines or failing to prepare for trials.
A lawyer’s drug use may not necessarily be a precursor to legal malpractice. Many people, including lawyers, take daily medications for blood pressure, anxiety, ADHD or pain control as a few examples. A lawyer may require the use of these medications to perform their daily activities and job. Without these medications, a lawyer would not be able to provide a standard level of professionalism to their clients.
However, certain drugs are addictive, even substances prescribed by medical practitioners. Drug abuse can cause a lawyer to experience cognitive impairments, poor judgment and emotional imbalance, which can affect their ability to stay professional and have the best interests of their clients.
People who sought guidance for their legal matters and experienced a lack of professionalism from a lawyer should be aware of their legal options. A lawyer who misused their medications or abused illicit drugs while handling cases could be held responsible for their lack of professionalism and actions that led to unsuccessful outcomes.