On day #3 of #WellbeingWeekInLaw, we give our attention to engagement and growth as professionals. We will be joined by representatives from both The Other Bar and The State Bar of California’s Lawyer Assistance Program (LAP) to talk abut exactly what each organization does and has to offer members of the legal community. Comes as you are to ask questions and learn about these professional resources.

Speakers

Michelle Harmon, LCSW

Michelle Harmon is the Supervisor of the Lawyer Assistance Program at the State Bar of California. Michelle is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker who joined the Lawyer Assistance Program (LAP) in 2006 as a case manager, providing clinical assessments, treatment planning and follow-up with attorneys and law students seeking support for a variety of mental health and substance use concerns. Michelle is currently in charge of managing the staff and overseeing the day-to-day operations of the LAP. She leads the Program’s efforts to improve the well-being of lawyers, law students, and other legal professionals in California. She received a BA in Psychology from Washington University in St. Louis, and a Master of Social Work from the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor.

Greg Dorst

Greg Dorst was born in Fontana CA in 1955, the son steel mill parents. In 1973 he graduated from Chaffey High School and elected to attend Claremont McKenna College in Claremont, CA. By 1983 Greg had earned a law school degree from the University of La Verne College of Law and passed the California State Bar Exam.

As an attorney, Greg worked as a trial lawyer for the San Bernardino County Office of the District Attorney and as a private practitioner specializing in criminal defense and real estate litigation. In July of 1997, Greg stopped practicing law and began a new chapter in his life.

The year 2000 brought Certification as an Addiction Specialist and a career in the field of mental health and addiction. In 2004 Greg was selected to consult for the Other Bar, working with attorneys, judges and law students in need of help for substance abuse issues and mental health needs. Moreover, in 2009 Greg became the CEO of Social Science Services, Inc., providing treatment for concurrent substance use disorders and mental health concerns for men, women, women with children and special needs adults at various sites throughout the Inland Empire area.

Dovetailing with his work with the Other Bar, Greg is an Ordained Minister, on staff at the Sanctuary for Spiritual Living in Covina, Ca., bringing a wealth of spiritual knowledge and healing experience to those in need. In addition to the foregoing, Greg has written articles for publications across the wellness spectrum on physical, social, mental, emotional and spiritual awareness and wellness techniques.

2021 #WELLBEINGWEEKINLAW

WWIL is an event of the Institute for Well-Being in Law (IWIL) which aims to raise awareness about mental health and encourage action and innovation across the profession to improve well-being. CLA’s Health and Wellness Committee participated in this effort last year and is continuing the tradition. In 2021, the event’s name was changed from “Lawyer Well-Being Week” to WWIL to be more explicitly inclusive of all the important contributors to the legal profession who are not lawyers.

Join the CLA’s HWC this year for a live virtual event or activity every day of #WellbeingWeekInLaw in alignment with the daily themes set by IWIL:

• Monday, 05/03: Stay Strong
• Tuesday, 05/04: Align
• Wednesday, 05/05: Engage & Grow
• Thursday, 05/06: Connect
• Friday: 05/07: Feel Well

We also invite you to join our Facebook group – a community of individuals from the legal profession and wellness world sharing insight, resources, and support as we all pursue our own paths towards wellness.