Call for proposals: 2021 National Conference for Lawyer Assistance Programs

The American Bar Association (ABA) Commission on Lawyer Assistance Programs (CoLAP) is planning its 2021 National Conference for Lawyer Assistance Programs. This year's conference, “Writing the LAP Story: Reset, Recover, Renew,” will be held Sept. 21-23, 2021, at the Omni Shoreham Hotel in Washington, D.C.  

The conference planning committee is seeking program proposals featuring proficient speakers and cutting-edge topics.

Prospective speakers and panelists are invited to submit a program and speaker proposal to be considered for either a plenary or breakout session. Given public health concerns, all conference speakers and panelists will be asked to be flexible and prepared for the possibility that the conference may be converted into a virtual format. Conference proposals should reflect an acknowledgment of this format flexibility. Most sessions will be 75 minutes long. 

Conference attendees are, for the most part, professionals who are staff or volunteers of lawyer assistance programs, lawyers, clinicians, judges, law school deans, or professional services administrators, law students, and representatives of legal employers. These participants are interested in a wide range of topics, including alcohol and substance use, mental health and mental illness, or well-being, and how these topics apply to members of the legal profession, including law students, lawyers, judges, and other legal professionals. 

Submissions are open to anyone with relevant skills, background, knowledge, and expertise. Preference will be given to presentations that expand the substantive knowledge base of conference attendees. Panels comprising diverse membership, as well as those relevant to underrepresented groups in the legal community, are strongly encouraged. To make proposals compelling, make it clear what problems your session helps address, what the tangible learning objectives will be, and any practical takeaways.

To submit a program proposal, apply with the ABA by March 1, 2021.