Profession
One in every eight patients treated by the Priory Group for addiction to drugs and alcohol describe themselves as legal professionals, new research shows.
Additionally, one in six lawyers admits to being addicted to alcohol to some degree, and drug use is on the increase throughout the profession, according to Law Care statistics.
Long, stressful hours in the workplace—and a high expendable income—are factors which have contributed to this trend.
However, despite the facts, many firms are unwilling to admit they have a problem.
Only a third of the top 100 firms responded to a survey by Legal Business concerning these issues and of those that replied only half had a firm-wide alcohol and drugs policy and not one said that they undertake random drugs testing.
Cocaine was identified as a popular choice of drug among the professionals who took part in the survey, with one partner divulging his experiences of “cocaine clubs” and partner-led cocaine and poker nights with clients.
