Graying bar matters: More attention, please

I do not want to let the attention fade from this critical shift in demographics of the legal profession and the implications for all concerned -- including the graying lawyers, their firms, and their clients. The attention may in fact be growing. More bloggers now have pointed to and commented on "the Graying Bar: let’s not forget the ethics," the outstanding post by David Giacalone

Diana Skaggs at Divorce Law Journal in her racehorse-themed Blawg Review #101 posted the words of Professor Alan Childress concerning Giacaloni's post:

I nominate it for the most important and well-researched blog post of 2007. Nothing like it, ever. It will move everyone who reads it, for the most universal and profound reasons: age touches all. I cannot begin to describe how vital David's post is. It will be required reading for every legal ethics class I teach.

Alvaro Fernandez at SharpBrains posted "Baby Boomers, Healthy Aging and Job Performance." He includes a list of 10 aligned considerations and includes links to other related information.

We are not legal experts, but would like to inform the debate by offering 10 considerations on healthy aging and job performance from a neuropsychological point of view, that apply to all occupations.

The last point  made by Fernandez:

A person with Alzheimer's is not aware of his or her condition. One of the affected areas are the frontal lobes and our so-called executive functions, such as the ability to self-monitor oneself. That being the case, maybe legal firms and trade associations will need to set up periodic and external neuropsychological assessments, similar to the concept of having to pass driving tests, to ensure that people in active practice possess the minimum abilities required to perform their duties (some of those abilities will be general, and some specific for each occupation).

What do you think of the suggestion of Fernandez? (Emphasis added above.) He closed by thanking Giacalone for starting this discussion.Let's make sure the discussion continues. Giacalone is posting this at his blog:

Important Request for Follow-up  (March 26, 2007): If you agree that this topic deserves more discussion and the focused attention of bar leaders, law firms, and individual lawyers, please let your local, state and national bar groups know you would like to see Ethics and the Graying of the Bar on the agenda of Continuing Legal Education programs (on professional responsibility, office management, retirement planning, etc.), and to see Aging-Competence Intervention actively incorporated into Lawyer Assistance Programs. Click for contact information for: state and local bar associations; the ABA Center for Continuing Legal Education - ABA-CLE, the ABA Commission on Lawyer Assistance Programs; and State LAP Programs.

These are not easy issues and the numbers are unprecedented. Let's start talking now.

Comments

[david giacalone]

Thank you yet again, Stephanie for focusing on this multi-faceted, complicated issues.