2022 Zealous Advocacy and Alcohol Use Disorder MH/SA Specialty Credit

Product description:

Zealous Advocacy and Alcohol Use Disorder: Helping Suffering Clients
Richard Oberdorfer, Attorney, Portland
(1.0 mental health & substance use credit)

Rich Oberdorfer talks about the DSM 5 (and changes from DSM 4) related to Alcohol Use Disorder (and the older diagnosis of Alcohol Abuse). He  explains how DUII lawyers can help people suffering from this disorder, starting with the initial conference, including client family members; preparing and litigating the DMV hearing; seeking early treatment and other mitigation strategies; then to plea versus trial, and how AUD affects that decision-making and risk-management process. He ties all this in to increasing longevity among DUII defense lawyer colleagues, that lawyers can do good and do well. He talks about alcohol and other drug impairment signs and symptoms, how to help your clients, and how to help yourselves and your colleagues. His presentation involves plenty of nuts and bolts on how to defend these cases, but also plenty of tips on how to help suffering people. In short: how to defend these cases zealously while still helping our clients recover from a medical disorder. And to avoid being upset or angry with them—because they are suffering, and the only thing that seems to work is fairly radical kindness.