Law360 Canada (June 9, 2026, 11:20 AM EDT) --

Moira Cook

We all know the statistics on lawyers and addiction, and the numbers are not good. We also understand why so many lawyers turn to alcohol or drugs to relax, switch off or unwind. This article focuses on a different question: why so few lawyers seek help when they begin slipping into serious addiction, despite often having more financial resources than the average person to access treatment.

Imagine you are an associate at a law firm. You started drinking wine every night to quiet your thoughts at the end of the day because you found it increasingly difficult to disconnect from your files and the stress of practice. One night, you drink too much. The next day, a senior partner calls and tells you that you need to assist with an urgent matter.

You are extremely hungover. You feel sick, anxious and shaky from the night before, but you have to pull yourself together well enough to work. So, you have a drink or two, just to feel clear-headed enough to get through the day.

This is where a vicious cycle can begin.

You drink during the day so you can function. You drink more at night to escape the stress of the day. Before long, you are drinking almost constantly, and if you stop, you begin to experience withdrawal symptoms.

Of course, your work starts to slip precipitously. You are not hitting your billable targets. Clients begin complaining that you have not returned their calls. Deadlines are getting dangerously close, and some may already have been missed.

In the past, you have always managed to turn things around when things got off track, so you are determined to do it again. Instead of seeking help, you try repeatedly to stop drinking, cut down or create rules around when you will allow yourself to drink. Meanwhile, the work keeps piling up and the missed billable hours continue to accumulate.

Once someone is physically dependent on alcohol or another substance, quitting is no longer as simple as deciding to stop. If you are addicted to the point of experiencing withdrawal symptoms, the medical recommendation is to undergo medically supervised detox. That process can take anywhere from two to seven days.

If further treatment is needed, an inpatient rehabilitation program may require several additional weeks away from work. Many people try outpatient treatment first, if they can fit it into schedules that are already overflowing.

High achievers with active addictions may be shaking and vomiting each morning yet look at you as though you have lost your mind if you suggest taking time off to address the problem.

Imagine already being behind and attracting negative attention from your supervisors because your performance is slipping, then being told that you need a month off work. That month away may cost tens of thousands of dollars in treatment fees, not to mention lost income and potential career consequences.

This is what it looks like when lawyers reach a crossroads: speak up and seek real treatment, or once again try to fix the problem on their own.

We have not even touched on another issue that looms large in the minds of many lawyers: the law society’s reporting requirements. Lawyers know that colleagues may have an obligation to report them if their addiction poses a risk to the public or impairs their capacity to provide professional services. Once reported, many fear the worst. They worry about investigations, publicly announced restrictions on their practice, suspension or even losing their licence altogether.

There is also the reality that addiction is often a chronic condition, and relapse can be part of recovery. Lawyers know this. As a result, disclosing an addiction to an employer can feel extraordinarily risky. They may fear being viewed as a permanent liability or a future relapse waiting to happen.

For these reasons and many others, lawyers have an especially difficult time disclosing addiction and seeking help. We need to make it easier for them to do so.

It is far better for a lawyer to disclose a problem early, obtain support for both their files and their illness, and access treatment before the situation becomes critical. The reality is that most lawyers can take a few weeks off from practice to obtain help. The belief that your practice will collapse without you is usually inaccurate. The alternative is to struggle in silence until significant harm has been done.

Law firms should make it clear to lawyers that if addiction becomes a problem, they will be supported in taking a leave of absence to pursue treatment. If you have employees you suspect are struggling, talk to them directly about it and ensure they are aware of their options. If the industry provided more proactive support for lawyers struggling with addiction, there would be fewer LawPRO claims and fewer talented people leaving the profession altogether.

The legal profession creates a perfect storm of stress, perfectionism and constant pressure. It pushes far too many people toward addiction. If that is the reality, and we know it is, then the profession also needs to participate meaningfully in the solution.

Moira Cook is a former Toronto estate litigation lawyer and graduate of Osgoode Hall Law School. After experiencing burnout herself she left legal practice and eventually became a registered psychotherapist. She founded Cook Counselling to help other lawyers manage ADHD, anxiety and burnout while finding more balance and fulfilment in their work. Moira offers in-person sessions in Aurora, Ont., and downtown Toronto and virtual sessions across Ontario.

The opinions expressed are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the author’s firm, its clients, LexisNexis Canada, Law360 Canada or any of its or their respective affiliates. This article is for general information purposes and is not intended to be and should not be taken as legal advice.

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