Challenges with cognitive impairment facing aging lawyers take center stage in the May-June issue of the American Bar Association’s Bar Leader magazine.
The feature article details efforts lawyer assistance program directors and bar leaders are making to prepare for issues related to the fact that attorneys are retiring later in life.
In the piece, Texas Lawyers’ Assistance Program Director Bree Buchanan discusses some of the reasons for the delayed retirement trend for litigators.
“It’s their identity. It’s their livelihood. It’s their income,” Buchanan told the Bar Leader. “What are they going to do if they’re not a lawyer?”
The magazine also includes a list for how assistance programs and bar associations can help address the issues.
In 2014, the State Bar Aging Lawyers Issues Task Force issued a report to the bar’s board of directors in hopes of developing resources for attorneys on issues related to aging, such as transitioning to retirement, mental health issues, and staying connected to the community.
Read more about issues affecting aging lawyers in past articles in the Texas Bar Journal.