The
evolution of legal, clinical and societal perspectives towards people with mental
disabilities has led many to question the legality, efficacy and morality of screening
Bar applicants for mental disability. The Working Group of Attorney Mental
Health recognizes the importance of focusing on a bar candidate’s behavior and
conduct to evaluate fitness to practice law and expects that to continue to be
the focus of determining an applicant’s fitness to practice law. The Working
Group is comprised of representatives from the Young Lawyers Section, the
Committee on Disability Rights, the Lawyer Assistance Committee, and the
Committee on Legal Education and Admission to the Bar.
New
York State Bar Association Creates Blue-Ribbon Wellness Task Force, NYSBA News Release, June 10,
2019
Final Report of the Working Group on Attorney Mental Health, Approved, November 2, 2019
New York State Bar Association Succeeds in Getting Mental Health Question Removed from NY Bar Application, NYSBA News Release, February 26, 2020
Law School Grads in NY Won’t Face Mental Health Inquiry, February 26, 2020
WORKING GROUP IN THE NEWS
Momentum
Builds for Allowing NY Bar Applicants to Keep Mental Health History Secret, New
York Law Journal, June 10, 2019
N.Y.
Bar Association to Study Mental Health Application Question, Bloomberg Law,
June 11, 2019
NY
Bar to Reassess Applicant Mental Health Questionnaire, Law360, June 11, 2019
California
Bans Inquiries on Would-be Lawyers’ Mental Health, Bloomberg Law, July 31,
2019
Hank Greenberg: Lawyers and Depression, WAMC, October 2, 2019
Federal Judge in NY Focuses on Profession's Mental Health Problem in 'Trial-by-Combat' Case, New York Law Journal, October 25, 2019
NY State Bar Set to Eye Removal of Mental Health Question for Attorney Applicants, New York Law Journal, October 31, 2019
N.Y. Bar Association Calls for Mental Health Question Ban, Bloomberg Law, November 2, 2019
Legislation Introduced to Strike Question About Mental Health History for Attorney Applicants in NY, New York Law Journal, November 4, 2019
State Bar Wants to Stop Mental Health Questions, Daily Record. November 4, 2019
Lawyers Seek Removal
of MH Question from Bar Applications, Mental Health Weekly, November 11, 2019
NY’s Law School Deans Ask Court Officials to Remove Mental Health Question for Attorney Applicants, New York Law Journal, December 10, 2019
A new look at character and fitness: Bar leaders, lawyers, other urge elimination of mental health questions, ABA Bar Leader, January 11, 2020
MEMBERS:
Alyssa
M. Barreiro, Esq.
Committee
on Disability Rights
M.
Elizabeth (Libby) Coreno, Esq.
Law
Practice Management Committee,Subcommittee
on Attorney Wellness
Dena
M. DeFazio, Esq.
Young
Lawyers Section
Simeon
Goldman, Esq.
Committee
on Disability Rights
Suzanne
S. Hassani
J.D.
Candidate, Maurice A. Deane School of Law at Hofstra University
Laura
Jurewicz
J.D.
Candidate, Albany Law School
Hon.
Barry Kamins
Presidential
Appointment
Daniella
E. Keller, Esq.
Lawyer
Assistance Committee
Anne
Louise LaBarbera
Young
Lawyers Section
David
R. Marshall, Esq.
Committee
on Legal Education and
Admission to the Bar
Marta
Galan Ricardo, Esq.
Committee
on Legal Education and
Admission to the Bar
Melinda
R. Saran, Esq.
Committee
on Disability Rights
Thomas
E. Schimmerling, Esq.
Lawyer
Assistance Committee
Lauren
E. Sharkey, Esq.
Young
Lawyers Section
Sheila
Shea, Esq.
Committee
on Disability Rights
Terrence
Lee Tarver, Esq.
Young
Lawyers Section
Eileen
C. Travis
NYC
Lawyer Assistance Program
Brandon
L. Wolff, Esq.
Young
Lawyers Section
Stacey
A. Whiteley
Liaison
to Lawyer Assistance Committee and Committee on Disability Rights
Ernesto
Guerrero
Liaison
to Committee on Legal Education and Admission to the Bar
Amy
Jasiewicz
Liaison
to Young Lawyers Section
Linda
M. McMahon
Lawyer
Assistance Program Assistant
